U r b a n

M e t e o r o l o g y

OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL

COORDINATOR OFCM FOR METEOROLOGY

FCM P1-2003

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Federal Plan

for Meteorological Services

and Supporting Research

Fiscal Year 2004
THE FEDERAL COMMITTEE FOR

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH (FCMSSR)

VADM CONRAD C. LAUTENBACHER, JR., USN (RET)

Chairman

Department of Commerce

VACANT

Office of Science and Technology Policy

DR. RAYMOND MOTHA

Department of Agriculture

BGEN JOHN J. KELLY, JR., USAF (RET)

Department of Commerce

CAPT FRANK GARCIA, USN

Department of Defense

DR. ARISTIDES PATRINOS

Department of Energy

DR. ROBERT M. HIRSCH

Department of the Interior

MR. RALPH BRAIBANTI

Department of State

MR. RANDOLPH LYON

Office of Management and Budget

MR. JAMES H. WASHINGTON

Department of Transportation

MR. ANTHONY LOWE

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Department of Homeland Security

DR. GHASSEM R. ASRAR

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

DR. MARGARET S. LEINEN

National Science Foundation

MR. PAUL MISENCIK

National Transportation Safety Board

MR. JACK R. STROSNIDER

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

MR. HENRY L. LONGEST (Acting)

Environmental Protection Agency

MR. SAMUEL P. WILLIAMSON

Federal Coordinator 

MR. JAMES B. HARRISON, Executive Secretary

Office of the Federal Coordinator for

Meteorological Services and Supporting Research

THE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH (ICMSSR)

MR. SAMUEL P. WILLIAMSON, Chairman

Federal Coordinator

MR. THOMAS PUTERBAUGH

Department of Agriculture

MR. JOHN E. JONES, JR.

Department of Commerce

CAPT FRANK GARCIA, USN

Department of Defense

MR. RICKEY PETTY

Department of Energy

MR. LEWIS T. MOORE

Department of the Interior

MR. JEFFREY MACLURE

Department of State

MR. DAVID WHATLEY

Federal Aviation Administration

Department of Transportation

DR. JONATHAN M. BERKSON

United States Coast Guard

Department of Homeland Security

DR. S. T. RAO

Environmental Protection Agency

MR. JOHN GAMBEL

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Department of Homeland Security

DR. RAMESH KAKAR

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration

DR. JARVIS MOYERS

National Science Foundation

MR. DONALD E. EICK

National Transportation Safety Board

MS. LETA A. BROWN

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

MS. ERIN WUCHTE

Office of Management and Budget

MR. JAMES B. HARRISON, Executive Secretary

Office of the Federal Coordinator for

Meteorological Services and Supporting Research

Pictures displayed on the cover. (Left to right, top)

A transformer fire erupts after lightning strikes at substations disrupt electrical service in North Carolina (AP Wide

World Photo); toxic fumes rise over the City of Baltimore as fire rages in a train tunnel (AP Wide World Photo); atmospheric dispersion models can depict the transport and dispersion of biological and toxic plumes over a metropolitan area (DTRA graphic).

(Left to right, bottom)

Storm surge from Hurricane Isabel flooded the streets of Baltimores Inner Harbor; F2 tornado cuts through

buildings in downtown Fort Worth (Fort Worth Star-Telegram Photo by Carolyn Bauman); smog lingers over the City of

Los Angeles (California Air Resources Board Website). 
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2004, the

President's budget requests a total of

$3.03 billion for meteorological services and supporting research. Of the

requested total, $2.63 billion is designated for operations and $401 million

for supporting research. Table ES-1

lists a breakout of the FY 2004 budget

proposal. (Note: On March 1, 2003,

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) was

transferred from the Department of

Transportation (DOT) to the

Department of Homeland security

(DHS). USCG funding figures for

the entire FY03 are included in the

DHS entries in all funding tables in

Section 2 of this document.)

For FY 2004, 91.4 percent of the

total funds requested will go to the

Departments of Commerce (DOC),

Defense (DOD), and Transportation

(DOT). The distribution among these

three departments is DOC 59.1 percent, DOD 17.4 percent, and DOT

14.9 percent. The other federal agencies will share the remaining 8.6 percent.

By comparison, the FY 2004 request

represents an increase of 10.5 percent

above the $2.7 billion appropriated in

FY 2003. Within the three major

departments, DOC requests an

increase of 17.2 percent; DOD and

DOT each request a decrease of

0.9 percent. The DOC increase is

attributable to requests for increases by

NWS, NESDIS, NOS, and NOAA

Corps. The overall DOD decrease is

mainly the result of sizeable supporting research decreases in DMSP (75.9

percent), Army (39.5 percent), and

Navy (15.8 percent). DOT's 0.9 percent decrease is largely attributable to

reductions in FAAs operations and

supporting research requests.

The budget requests for the other

departments are as follows:

Department of Agriculture (USDA) a

decrease of 0.9 percent, Department of

the Interior (DOI) and Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) no change;

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA) an increase of

21.7 percent; and Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC) a decrease of

47.4 percent.

Figure ES-1 depicts each agency's

proportion of the requested FY 2004

federal budget for meteorological

operations and supporting research.

Each agency's portion of the requested

funding for meteorological operations

is shown in Figure ES-2. Of the $2.63

billion requested for meteorological

operations, DOC, DOD, and DOT

account for slightly over 98.8 percent

of the funds. Overall, operational costs

increased by 11.2 percent. Figure ES-3

depicts each agency's portion of the

proposed federal supporting research

budget. Unlike operations, DOC,

DOD, and NASA account for the

major share (82.9 percent) of the supporting research budget. Other

requests for supporting research funds

are: increases in NASA (21.9 percent),

and DOT (2.3 percent); decreases in

DOD (19.6 percent) and DOC (0.8 percent); and no change in EPA.

All agencies project a personnel total

of 14,480 full-time equivalent (FTE) to

EXEC SUM vii

THE FEDERAL PLAN FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH

FISCAL YEAR 2004

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Table ES-1. Federal Budget for Meteorological Operations and Supporting

Research, FY 2004 (in thousands of dollars)

% of Supporting % of % of

Agency Operations TOTAL Research TOTAL TOTAL TOTAL

Agriculture $14,552 0.6 $32,679 8.1 $47,231 1.6

Commerce 1,691,580 64.3 101,300 25.2 1,792,880 59.1

Defense 484,137 18.4 43,439 10.8 527,576 17.4

Homeland Security 14,100 0.5 0 0.0 14,100 0.5

Interior 1,100 0.0 0 0.0 1,100 0.0

Transportation 424,838 16.1 28,149 7.0 452,987 14.9

EPA 0 0.0 7,500 1.9 7,500 0.2

NASA 2,354 0.1 188,271 46.9 190,625 6.3

NRC 50 0.0 0 0.0 50 0.0

TOTAL $2,632,711 100.0 $401,338 100.0 $3,034,049 100.0
viii EXEC SUM

Figure ES-1. Agency Percent of Total Federal Budget for Meteorological Operations

and Supporting Research, FY 2004.

Figure ES-2. Agency Percent of Federal Budget

for Meteorological Operations, FY 2004.

Figure ES-3. Agency Percent of Federal Budget

for Supporting Research, FY 2004.

Total = $3.03 Billion

Total = $2.63 Billion Total = $401 Million

17.4%

1.6%

14.9%

0.2%

6.3%

59.1%

64.3%

DOC DOD

DOT

NASA

0.1%

0.6%

16.1%

18.4% 46.9%

8.1%

10.8%

25.2%

1.9%

7.0% DOC

NASA DOT

DOD

USDA EPA

NASA 0.5%

DHS

DOD

DOT

DOC

USDA

EPA

USDA

DHS

0.5%
EXEC SUM ix

be employed in federal meteorological

operations in FY 2004. This figure

represents an decrease of 2.3 percent

from the 14,816 FTE employed in

FY 2003.

MAJOR PROGRAMS--DOC, DOD,

and DOT

Next Generation Weather Radar

(NEXRAD). The NEXRAD Program

which began in FY 1981 was responsible for procurement, installation, and

operation of the Weather Surveillance

Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D). The

first limited production WSR-88D system was installed at Oklahoma City,

Oklahoma in May 1990 and commissioned 4 years later in February 1994.

The original program plan called for a

total of 161 radars. In response to a

National Research Council report,

three additional radars were added and

raised the total to 164 radar sites. The

last system in the basic procurement

schedule was installed in June 1996.

By agency, as of June 2001, the

DOC/National Weather Service had

commissioned 123 sites, the DOD

(USAF and Army) had commissioned

32 sites (within the states and overseas), and the DOT/FAA had commissioned 12 sites. DOD has three systems at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, for

training; DOC/NWS has one each at

the National Reconditioning Center,

and NWS Training Center in Kansas

City, Missouri and at the Operational

Support Facility, Oklahoma City,

Oklahoma.

Automated Surface Observing

System (ASOS). The ASOS program

began in 1983, as a joint development

effort between the DOC, DOD, and

DOT/FAA. Installation of ASOS units

started in 1992. As of June 2002, a

total of 996 units have been purchased.

The NWS has purchased, accepted,

and commissioned 313 sites. The FAA

has purchased 572 units, all of which

have been accepted and commissioned

by the NWS. The Navy has purchased,

accepted, and commissioned 77 sites.

The Air Force has purchased, accepted,

and commissioned 34 sites.

Collectively, a total of 996 ASOS sites

have been commissioned.

Automated Weather Information

Systems (AWIS). The DOC, DOD,

and DOT require AWISs to facilitate

the collection, processing, and interpretation of meteorological data.

AWISs are being procured to provide

an automated, high-speed, user-friendly man/machine interface to access and

process large volumes of sophisticated

meteorological data. AWIS supports

the timely production of accurate and

geographically precise warnings, forecasts, and special tailored products.

They also provide the communications

capability for expeditious product dissemination.

Major agency systems classified as

AWISs are: NOAA's Advanced

Weather Interactive Processing System

(AWIPS), FAA's Weather and Radar

Processor (WARP); Air Force's NewTactical Forecast System (N-TFS) and

Operational Weather Squadron

Production System, Phase 2 (OPS-II);

and Navy's Naval Integrated Tactical

Environmental Subsystem (NITES).

AWIPS: In February 1997, the

Secretary of Commerce approved the

limited deployment of AWIPS at over

forty sites. On April 9, 1998, the

Secretary authorized full scale production and deployment of AWIPS,

through Build 4.2, for the remaining

95 systems. Installation of these

95 systems began in September 1998

and was completed in June 1999. An

Operational Test and Evaluation of the

commissioning software load

(Release 4.2) was successfully conducted from mid-May through June

1999. AWIPS commissioning began in

January 2000 and, by August 2001,

NWS had commissioned all 139 operational AWIPS systems located at

121 Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs),

13 River Forecast Centers (RFCs), the

Spaceflight Meteorology Group

(SMG), and 4 National Centers for

Environmental Prediction (NCEP).

AWIPS: The NWS successfully

completed the final development phase

release of AWIPS (Build 5) in early

2003 and completed deployment of its

first Operational Build (OB1) in the

summer of that year. AWIPS will complete the deployment of Operational

Build 2 (OB2) by late 2003 and continue with operational phase builds on

a nominally bi-yearly schedule. Of

note within the operational builds of

AWIPS is an evolution of the architecture to the Linux open source operating

environment which was started during

the Build 5 phase and will continue

through to its planned completion in

early 2007.

WARP: The FAA's WARP will

greatly enhance the dissemination of

aviation weather information throughout the National Airspace System

(NAS). WARP will automatically create unique regional, WSR-88D-based,

mosaic products and send these products, along with other time-critical

weather information, to controllers

through the Advanced Automation

System (AAS) as well as to pilots via

the aeronautical data link.

N-TFS/OPS-II: The Air Force is

modernizing and improving strategic,

operational, and combat level systems.

Modernization programs include the

Observing System 21st Century

(OS-21), N-TFS, OPS-II, Tactical

Weather Radar, and Small Tactical

Terminal which provides a single system for both garrison and deployed

operations. These systems will replace

the Automated Weather Distribution

System (AWDS) and serve as an ingarrison system as well as a deployable

"first-in" combat weather forecast

capability. OS-21 will provide a much

needed state-of-the-art life-cycle

replacement for Air Force observing

equipment. OS-21 includes five different configurations: fixed, deployable,

remote, manual, and upper air. The

manual section is intended for tactical

operations and will continue upgrades
x EXEC SUM

begun under the Manual Observing

System and Tactical Meteorological

Observing System modification programs. The Air Force purchased commercial off-the-shelf remote miniature

weather sensors to provide accurate

real-time weather information from

forward unmanned locations to support

Kosovo operations. OS-21 will continue to expand this capability.

NITES: The Navy is presently

undergoing migration towards a modular, interoperable suite of systems to

ingest, process, fuse, display, and disseminate METOC data. The program

consists of five seamless versions

known as the NITES versions I-V.

NITES systems will be fielded in

FY 2000 through FY 2004.

NATIONAL POLAR-ORBITING

OPERA TIONAL

ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE

SYSTEM (NPOESS)

The NPOESS Program began when

Presidential Decision Directive (PDD)

NSTC-2 established the Integrated

Program Office (IPO) in October 1994.

Under the terms of this PDD, the IPO's

function is to "...reduce the cost of

acquiring and operating polar-orbiting

environmental satellite systems, while

continuing to satisfy United States

DOD (Department of Defense) and

DOC (Department of Commerce)

operational requirements for data from

these systems." Effectively, the directive combines the current operations

and future follow-on activities of the

DOD Defense Meteorological Satellite

Program (DMSP) with the DOC

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental

Satellite (POES) program. The new

follow-on system will be called

NPOESS. The system will be available to launch after the failure of the

last operational DMSP or POES satellite. Cooperation with foreign governments and international organizations

are to be encouraged, as well.

NPOESS is an integrated DOC,

DOD, and National Aeronautics and

Space Administration (NASA) program. Through the IPO, DOC is

responsible for operations and overall

program management; DOD is responsible for the acquisition of the satellites, launch vehicles, and associated

ground systems; and NASA is responsible for insertion of new and innovative technology.

The space segment of NPOESS will

include space platforms and sensors

that will collect and store environmental and other data until they can be

downlinked directly to Operational

Weather Processing Centers (i.e.

AFWA, FNMOC, NAVO, and NESDIS)

and Field Terminals (receivers used by

deployed/remote military units and

civilian users to obtain environmental

data). The space segment will consist

of meteorological, oceanographic, terrestrial, space environmental monitoring, and climatic sensors, in addition to

other systems such as surface data collection/location and search and rescue.

The satellite will store and download

all data to ground stations with a latency of less than 90 minutes and will also

provide continuous down-link of data

for receipt by worldwide civilian and

DOD field users.

The NPOESS constellation will

notionally consist of at least three

United States satellites and will receive

data from one EUMETSAT (European

Organization for the Exploitation of

Meteorological Satellites) satellite via

European ground sites. The United

States satellites will fly at 833 ± 17 km

altitude with an inclination of 98.7 ±

0.05 degrees in three distinct sun-synchronous orbits; early morning, midmorning, and early afternoon. A wide

variety of sensors will be carried

aboard these platforms to acquire

imagery and other meteorological and

environmental data.

Each satellite will carry several types

of sensors to accomplish its mission:

electrical/optical (E/O), microwave

(MW), space environmental, and other

specialized sensors. The E/O instruments include a Visible/Infrared

Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) to

provide imagery in the VIS and IR

spectra, a Cross-track Infrared Sounder

(CrIS), a passive IR sounder to provide

high-resolution vertical profiles of

atmospheric properties in conjunction

with MW soundings, and an Ozone

Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) to

measure ozone in the Earth's atmosphere. The microwave instruments

include a NASA developed Advanced

Technology Microwave Sounder

(ATMS) to measure atmospheric temperature and water vapor profiles and a

separate Conical Scanning Microwave

Imager Sounder (CMIS), consisting of

an imager and a supporting sounder, to

measure the critical surface and atmospheric phenomena in the MW spectrum under "all weather" conditions.

The space environmental sensor suite

(SESS) will measure parameters such

as electron density profiles, neutral

density profiles, magnetic fields, and

charged particle energies. Other

NPOESS instruments include the

Global Positioning System Occultation

Sensor (GPSOS) that will monitor and

measure signal variations from 24 GPS

satellites to help characterize atmospheric pressure, temperature, and

humidity profiles with greater accuracy, NASA's Total Solar Irradiance

Sensor (TSIS) to measure solar energy

per unit time per unit area, and the

Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS) to

retrieve specified aerosol and cloud

parameters using multispectral photopolarimetry.

NPOESS will carry other payloads that

are similar to existing instruments, such

as NOAA's managed Data Collection

System (DCS), which collects and

processes measurements from buoys,

free-floating balloons, and remote

weather stations, for on-board storage

and subsequent transmission from the

satellite, and the Search and Rescue

Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT) sys-
EXEC SUM xi

tem that uses NOAA satellites in lowEarth and geostationary orbits to detect

and locate aviators, mariners, and landbased users in distress. The satellites

relay distress signals from emergency

beacons to a network of ground stations

and ultimately to the United States

Mission Control Center (USMCC) in

Suitland, Maryland. The USMCC

processes the data and alerts the appropriate search and rescue authorities.

Additionally, NPOESS will share

data from other agencies such as

NASA's Radar Altimeter Satellite and

the NASA managed Earth Radiation

Budget Sensor (ERBS), the Advanced

Scatterometer (ASCAT) being flown

on METOP for ocean measurements

(i.e. surface stress, surface wind, sea

ice coverage), and the Clouds and the

Earth's Radiant Energy System

(CERES) experiment.

FY 2003 was a very full year for

NPOESS. Probably the most significant

activity of the year was the IPO's conduction of a Source Selection to choose

the contractor that will be developing

and building the next generation weather satellite system.

With DOD's acceptance to participate

in NOAA/NASA's Joint Center for

Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA), a

virtual center comprised of NASA

DAO, NCEP EMC, NESDIS ORA, and

OAR lab scientists, established to facilitate the use of satellite environmental

data by developing new and powerful

mathematical techniques to assimilate

the data into numerical weather prediction (NWP) models, the IPO is now set

to augment this effort with additional

funding to ensure NPOESS data is

quickly accelerated into weather operations once it begins flowing.

NPOESS also recently sponsored

UCAR's (University Consortium for

Atmospheric Research) Cooperative

Program for Operational Meteorology,

Education and Training (COMET) in

branching into high-latitude territory.

Since the usefulness of geostationary

satellites declines rapidly at latitudes

above 60° north and south, NPOESS

data are especially important toward the

poles. COMET is developing a series of

modules that orient forecasters to the

products available from the polar

orbiters. COMET is also developing

modules to help prepare forecasters for

the data provided by the NPOESS series

satellites.

The IPO is looking forward to working with the NPOESS contractor in

FY 2004 to lay the groundwork to

ensure ground systems are in place and

operating in time to use NPOESS

Preparatory Project (NPP) data in the

2005 timeframe and that all systems

are ready for an expected 2008

NPOESS launch. Other FY 2004

activities will see the launch of DMSP

F16, which the IPO has Satellite

Control Authority (SCA) for as well as

responsibility for the command, control, and communications functions of

current on orbit DMSP constellation

flown out of NOAA's Satellite

Operations Control Center (SOCC) in

Suitland, Maryland where control of

NOAA's Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) also resides.

The operational side of the IPO will

only get busier with the additional

responsibilities of WindSat Coriolis,

NPP, and NPOESS being added to the

operational control of NPOESS IPO's

operational control over the next several years.

More information regarding the

NPOESS program can be found at

npoess.noaa.gov/ or npoesslib.ipo.

noaa.gov/

OTHER AGENCY PROGRAMS

For FY 2004, the Department of

Agriculture (USDA) requested

$47.2 million for meteorological operations ($14.5 million) and supporting

research ($32.7 million). Operationally, the USDA supports specialized

weather observation networks and also

conducts an active supporting research

program to ensure an abundance of

high-quality agricultural commodities

while minimizing the adverse effects

of agriculture on the environment.

Under supporting research, USDA

focuses on the interactions of weather

and climate with plant and animal production and water resources management.

The Department of the Interior's

(DOI) FY 2004 request is $1.1 million

primarily to support the Bureau of

Land Management's remote automatic

weather station (RAWS) program.

The budget request for the

Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA) remains level at $7.5 million to

provide user-appropriate and scientifically credible air-quality meteorological programs to support regulatory

applications.

NASA requests a total of $190.6 million--$2.3 million for operations and

$188.3 million for supporting research.

These funding levels are composed of

the estimated meteorology share of the

supporting research and analysis programs as well as Earth Observing

System (EOS) and Earth Probe instruments, EOS science, and the EOS Data

Information System elements of the

NASA Office of Earth Science budget.

Included in NASA's request is

$71.3 million for special programs

under the category of aviation weather

supporting research.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) request for $50,000 in

FY 2004 is for operations. The NRC

will dedicate these funds to obtain and

analyze meteorological data and information related to siting new nuclear

power plants and safe operation of

nuclear facilities, to the protection of

public health and safety, and protection

of the environment.

FEDERAL COORDINATION

Interdepartmental Hurricane

Conference. OFCM annually hosts

the Interdepartmental Hurricane

Conference (IHC) to provide a forum

for the responsible Federal agencies,

together with representatives of the

user communities such as emergency

management, to review the Nation's
xii EXEC SUM

hurricane forecast and warning program and to make recommendations

on how to improve the program in the

future. The 57th IHC was held in

Miami, Florida, March 10-14, 2003.

The theme for the conference was The

Nation's Hurricane Warning ProgramStreamlining the Roadmap for the

Future. Dr. James R. Mahoney,

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for

Oceans and Atmosphere and Deputy

NOAA Administrator, provided the

keynote address. The conference

began with a review of the 2002 tropical cyclone season in the Atlantic

Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

Sea, and the Pacific Ocean, followed

by sessions on: (1) Observing and

Reconnaissance Technologies;

(2) Hurricane Modeling and

Prediction; (3) Tropical Cyclone

Hazards, Impacts, and Products;

(4) The National Hurricane ProgramWhere the Rubber Meets the Road;

and (5) Transitioning Research to

Operations including H*Wind-Making

the Transition to Operations and Joint

Hurricane Testbed. Workshops and a

forecaster/operations forum were conducted to reinforce and build upon the

topics addressed during the sessions

and action items from recent conferences. The Working Group for

Hurricane and Winter Storms

Operations and Research met to work

on IHC action items and changes to the

National Hurricane Operations Plan

(NHOP). The 41st edition of the

NHOP provides the basis for hurricane

reconnaissance for the 2003 season

and details responsibilities of Federal

agencies; operations and procedures;

products; aircraft, satellite, radar, and

buoy data collection; and marine

weather broadcasts. A tour of the

National Hurricane Center/Joint

Hurricane Testbed was also conducted. 

Several major accomplishments that

have resulted from specific action

items that were brought to the IHC or

have been achieved through the partnership arrangements facilitated by the

IHC include: implementation of the 5-

day hurricane forecast; development of

the Stepped Frequency Microwave

Radiometer; improved capability

because of use of Global Positioning

System dropwindsondes; improved

hurricane modeling and prediction;

increased focus on inland flooding; the

successful partnering with the Federal

Emergency Management Agency

through the Hurricane Liaison Team;

improved preparedness, response and

outreach to the public through

Hurricane Awareness Week; support to

the Joint Hurricane Testbed; partnership between IHC and The Weather

Channel; and increased outreach to

other Federal agencies. 

National Hurricane Conference.

OFCM participated in the 25th Annual

National Hurricane Conference (NHC)

in New Orleans, Louisiana, April 14-

18, 2003. The theme of the NHC was

Where We Have Been and Where We

Are Going in Forecasting and

Emergency Preparedness and

Response. The NHC is the Nation's

forum for education and professional

training in hurricane preparedness.

There were approximately 1,300 attendees representing a large cross section

of the hurricane emergency planning,

response, and recovery communities,

including emergency managers; fire

and law enforcement officials; engineers; meteorologists and geographers;

volunteer agency representatives; and

city and county commissioners, managers, and planners. OFCM and the

Federal Emergency Management

Agency conducted a Training

Workshop on April 14th. The workshop theme was Risk AssessmentCharacterizing the Impact of

Hurricanes and Inland Flooding to

Help Emergency Managers and the

Public Deal with the Risks They Face.

The training workshop was divided

into two panels: (1) the role of Federal

statutes, policies, and procedures in

dealing with environmental threats and

risks, and (2) operational and emerging

decision-making programs, tools, and

techniques for risk management and

assessment. Panelists included the

Staff Director for Senator John B.

Breaux of Louisiana and the Chief of

Operations for Congressman W.J.

"Billy" Tauzin of Louisiana's 3rd

District, who both had special interest

in storm surge and coastal erosion

issues.

Post-Storm Data Acquisition. The

OFCM-sponsored Working Group for

Natural Disaster Reduction/Post-Storm

Data Acquisition coordinated efforts

to: 

 Examine the devastation following

the landfall of Hurricane Lili along

the coast of Louisiana in

October 2002;

 Survey tornado damage in the Fort

Wayne, Indiana, and the Knoxville,

Tennessee, areas in

November 2002;

 Survey tornado damage in southwest Georgia (Mitchell and Worth

Counties) in March 2003;

 Survey tornado damage in northern, central, and southern Arkansas

in April 2003;

 Survey tornado damage in western

Tennessee, Wyandotte County in

Kansas, Platte and Clay Counties

in Missouri, the Springfield area in

Missouri, the Paducah area in

Kentucky, the Madison, Heard,

Coweta, Troup, and Meriwether

Counties in Georgia, areas in

southeast Missouri, southern

Illinois, and western Kentucky, and

Lewis County, Kentucky in

May 2003;

 Survey tornado damage in the

Sioux Falls area in South Dakota in

June 2003; and

 Survey the tornado/flood event

which occurred across southwest

and central Minnesota in

June 2003. 

Aerial photography support was provided by the Air Force's Civil Air

Patrol. The support provided by the

Civil Air Patrol, which was negotiated
EXEC SUM xiii

by the working group and documented

in a memorandum of understanding,

has proven to be both timely and very

cost effective. OFCM also served as a

conduit between agencies for information and contacts for post-storm data

gathering for Hurricane Isabel in

September 2003. These post-storm

efforts contribute to the determination

of the intensity and magnitude of

storms, and in many cases help to

determine the extent of damage for use

in Presidential disaster declarations.

The additional data collected after hurricane landfall is also used in validating modeling efforts with both emergency management models (e.g.,

FEMA's HAZUS) and hurricane storm

surge models (e.g., NOAA's SLOSH).

These models are used in real-time to

assist decision makers in evacuation

decisions and procedures. Post-storm

data are also used to update FEMA

Flood Insurance Rate Maps. OFCM

also published the National Post-Storm

Data Acquisition Plan in March 2003. 

Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research. The Federal

Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research

(FCMSSR) met on October 18, 2002,

at the White House Conference Center

in Washington, D.C. The meeting was

chaired by VADM Conrad C.

Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.), Under

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans

and Atmosphere and NOAA

Administrator. Items considered

include Environmental Support to

Homeland Security, Climate Change

Research Initiative, Phased Array

Weather Radar Project, Weather

Information for Surface Transportation, and Integrated Global Observing

System. Actions resulting from the

meeting include conducting an interagency forum on Environmental

Support to Homeland Security, and

agency support for the development

and expansion of the Washington,

D.C., Dispersion Testbed; support to

the Climate Change Research Initiative

and the U.S. Climate Change Science

Program-Planning Workshop for

Scientists and Stakeholders; expansion

of agency participation in the Phased

Array Weather Radar Project; and publication of the report Weather

Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report.

George Mason University Transport

and Dispersion Modeling Conference/

OFCM Special Session. George Mason

University (GMU), Fairfax, Virginia,

conducted its 7th Annual Conference on

Transport and Dispersion Modeling,

June 17-18, 2003. The conference was

cosponsored by the Defense Threat

Reduction Agency (DTRA). It included

presentations addressing recent

advances and ongoing research and

development with regard to urban scale

modeling and dispersion, urban scale

experiments, boundary layer modeling

and dispersion, model evaluation,

mesoscale modeling and dispersion,

and advanced modeling techniques.

In connection with this conference,

OFCM partnered with DTRA and

GMU as a first step in addressing the

recommendations that came out of the

Joint Action Group for Selection and

Evaluation of Atmospheric Transport

and Diffusion Models (JAG/SEATD)

report, Atmospheric Modeling of

Releases from Weapons of Mass

Destruction-Response by Federal

Agencies in Support of Homeland

Security. These recommendations were

supported by the Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research and are currently

being implemented under the purview

of the Interdepartmental Committee for

Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. On June 19, 2003,

OFCM hosted an all-day special session

to begin addressing three specific objectives to:

 Identify and refine the requirements

for atmospheric transport and diffusion (ATD) modeling support/plume

forecasts and develop a concept of

operations to support those requirements;

 Refine, prioritize (if possible), and

document the community's

research and development needs;

and

 Develop a common model evaluation framework that supports customers' needs and requirements.

The special session was attended by

representatives from Federal

(DHS/FEMA, DOC/NOAA, DOD,

DOE, NRC, and EPA), state and local

agencies, the national laboratories,

academia, and the private sector. It

was determined that OFCM, through

its Working Group for Environmental

Support to Homeland Security

(WG/ESHS), would: complete the

development of an environmental support concept of operations in support

of homeland security that is consistent

with the new National Response Plan,

and will form the basis for the

Homeland Security Environmental

Support Plan; develop a research and

development plan and pursue interagency support, including DHS; complete the development and implementation of a common framework for

model evaluation among the Federal

agencies; and plan a follow-on forum

to rollout the Homeland Security

Environmental Support Plan and the

research and development plan.

Homeland Security Environmental

Support Plan. OFCM made great

strides in working with agencies in

developing the Homeland Security

Environmental Support Plan. The plan

defines the mission, roles, and responsibilities of individual Federal agencies

as they relate to homeland security and

documents each agency's environmental support capabilities and/or requirements. The plan will specify a coordinated, interagency concept of operations to meet the environmental support needs and requirements of the

Nation's homeland security and emergency response efforts, and is being
xiv EXEC SUM

developed and coordinated with the

Department of Homeland Security.

The Principal Federal Official,

Primary Federal Agencies, and environmental support assignments for

chemical, biological, radiological,

nuclear, and other hazardous material

release incidents are in accordance

with established plans and directives.

The plan also addresses the unmet

needs and requirements for environmental support during crisis and consequence management and details

research and development efforts, both

ongoing and planned, that are designed

to fulfill those needs and requirements.

The intended audience for this document includes the Federal agencies

involved in crisis and consequence

management, including the newly

established Department of Homeland

Security; and state and local (e.g., city,

county, and parish) governments and

their first responder organizations.

Additional Environmental Support

to Homeland Security. OFCM coordinated the Navy/NOAA tabletop exercise in Norfolk, Virginia, on

March 26, 2003, and participation in

additional tabletop exercises is being

planned. The results will be integrated

into the concept of operations section

of the Homeland Security

Environmental Support Plan. OFCM

is working with the Department of

Homeland Security (DHS) to identify a

policy-level focal point for participation in the Federal coordinating infrastructure, and has continued to coordinate with the U.S. Coast Guard

(USCG) and the DHS Directorate of

Emergency Preparedness and

Response (FEMA). OFCM worked to

increase agency support for the development and future expansion of the

Washington, D.C., Dispersion Testbed

(DCNet). DCNet will couple the best

available forecasts with real-time

measurements of key dispersion properties, develop GIS systems to display

current and forecast dispersion plumes,

explore existing network data, and

develop systems to extract data to

improve dispersion forecasts from

them. Having developed a refined dispersion system for Washington, D.C.,

the goal is to expand the operation to

cover the entire National Capital area

and other major cities. OFCM introduced the agencies to the DTRA/DOEsponsored Oklahoma City Field

Exercise, officially titled "Joint Urban

2003." The objectives of this atmospheric dispersion study, which

occurred in Oklahoma City from

June 28 - July 31, 2003, are to collect

meteorological and tracer data resolving atmospheric dispersion at scales of

motion ranging from flows in and

around a single city block, in and

around several blocks in the downtown

central business district, and into the

suburban Oklahoma City area several

kilometers from the central business

district; and to use tracer and meteorological data collected in Oklahoma

City to evaluate and improve existing

indoor and outdoor dispersion models.

Annual Federal Plan. OFCM prepared The Federal Plan for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research-Fiscal Year

2003. The Federal Plan is

Congressionally mandated and is a

one-of-a-kind document which articulates the meteorological services provided and supporting research conducted by agencies of the Federal government. The Federal Plan helps to

reduce duplication among the agencies. It is a comprehensive publication

that documents proposed programs for

Fiscal Year 2003 and reviews agency

programs in Fiscal Year 2002. The

Plan demonstrates to the Congress and

to the Executive Branch how the

Federal agencies work together to

accomplish their missions in an effective and efficient manner. The special

interest article of the Annual Federal

Plan is The Need for Weather

Information for Surface

Transportation-Keeping the Country

Safe and on the Move. The article

describes interagency activities underway within the Federal transportation

and meteorology communities.

Weather Information for Surface

Transportation. In September 1998,

the Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (FCMSSR) was

briefed on the Office of the Federal

Coordinator for Meteorology "Look to

the Future." The briefing identified

priority areas, issues, problems, and

ideas to improve the effectiveness of

interagency coordination and cooperation. Surface transportation needs

(including ground and marine transportation modes) were emphasized.

FCMSSR agreed on the importance of

addressing users' needs for Weather

Information for Surface Transportation

(WIST) through a coordinated effort.

Subsequently, the Interdepartmental

Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research

(ICMSSR) directed that a joint action

group be formed to address mission

needs and meteorological requirements for surface transportation. Two

WIST symposia followed; the first

(November - December 1999) helped

to identify WIST user needs, and the

second (December 2000) reviewed the

progress of compiling and analyzing

the data collected over the previous

year. FCMSSR endorsed the continuation of this OFCM led process in

November 2000.

This led to OFCM publishing the

Weather Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report in December 2002.

The WIST Report sets the stage for

revolutionary improvement in the way

weather information is applied to surface transportation across the Nation.

It establishes a process that involves

decision makers throughout the public

and private sectors, academia, and

industry in a collaborative effort to

define weather information needs and

recommends next steps to incorporate

current and future results from science
EXEC SUM xv

and technology innovations into surface transportation activities that bear

on the safety and economic welfare of

all citizens. The WIST Report is the

product of an extensive 3-year interagency effort and is a historic achievement from the standpoint that it is the

first-ever compilation of weather support needs across the six surface transportation sectors: roadway, railway,

transit, marine transportation, pipeline

systems, and airport ground operations. This activity included the formation of a joint action group to

address meteorological requirements

for surface transportation; questionnaires; surveys; WIST symposia conducted jointly by the Office of the

Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

and the Federal Highway Administration; meetings with railroad, pipeline,

and emergency managers; and participation on panels concerning publicprivate partnerships in transportation

and Intelligent Transportation

Systems. The report makes clear that

by meeting the requirements for provision of weather information for surface

transportation to users, we can often

increase safety and realize economic

benefits at the same time. Costs of

roadway weather serve as a good

example of this. It is estimated that

vehicle accidents caused by adverse

weather result, either directly or indirectly, in 800,000 injuries and

7,000 fatalities annually. This represents approximately 28 percent of all

highway crashes and 19 percent of all

fatalities. The estimated annual economic cost from weather-related crashes (deaths, injuries, and property),

amounts to nearly $42 billion. A study

of the effects of snow, ice, and fog estimated that these weather conditions

caused 544 million vehicle-hours of

delay on highways in 1999. The report

also makes clear the importance of

environmental support to homeland

security; we need better weather information to support the emergency

response to disasters inflicted on our

communities by those who would do

us harm. More detailed weather information must be used in operational

decision-making processes. We must

also improve cooperative efforts and

working partnerships among Federal,

state, and "private-public" entities, and

between the governmental and commercial sectors. OFCM also arranged

a March 21, 2003, press briefing on the

rollout of the Weather Information for

Surface Transportation-National

Needs Assessment Report, which was

led by VADM Conrad C.

Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.), Under

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans

and Atmosphere and Chairman of the

Federal Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research, and

very well received.

Wind Chill Temperature Index. The

result of this coordinated effort led to

the implementation of a more rigorous,

scientific-based Wind Chill

Temperature Index for the protection

of lives during winter weather. This

index was implemented by the United

States NOAA's National Weather

Service, the Meteorological Service of

Canada/ Environment Canada, the

U.S. Army, and the U.S. Air Force.

This index has also been made available for use by the public and private

sector. In a 2003 National Weather

Service survey of broadcast meteorologists, it was reported that over 70 percent found the index very useful at

communicating the impact of wind

chill in adverse weather conditions to

the public and their other constituents.

The index will also be used as a basis

for the development of an internationally-based Universal Thermal

Temperature Index which will be

implemented worldwide in the next

several years.

Aviation Weather. In April 1997, the

National Aviation Weather Program

Council (NAWPC) approved and published a National Aviation Weather

Program Strategic Plan, which had

been developed by the Program

Council's Joint Action Group for

Aviation Weather. This Strategic Plan

was the first step in a Federal agency

response to the challenge for improved

aviation weather safety set forth in a

National Research Council report,

Aviation Weather Services--A Call for

Federal Leadership and Action (1995).

The Federal Coordinator, who serves

as Chair of the NAWPC, has coordinated the activities to support and

implement the Strategic Plan. In the

1997 Strategic Plan, the NAWPC took

responsibility for overseeing periodic

reviews of the program to provide midcourse corrections as needed, as well

as to maintain momentum as the plan

progressed. OFCM was assigned a

supporting role in providing analyses,

summaries, and evaluations as a "factual basis for the Executive and

Legislative Branches to make appropriate decisions related to the allocation of funds." The plan is now

halfway to the Fiscal Year 2007 marker set for achieving an 80 percent

reduction in fatal accidents, an appropriate time to review progress and consider any needed mid-course corrections.

OFCM published the National

Aviation Weather Program MidCourse Assessment in August 2003.

The report presents a mid-course

assessment of progress toward the goal

of reducing weather-related fatal accident rates by 80 percent over 10 years.

In February 1997, the White House

Commission on Aviation Safety and

Security recommended an 80 percent

reduction in fatal aviation accidents

from all causes as a ten-year national

goal. In its 1999 report on National

Aviation Weather Initiatives, the

National Aviation Weather Program

Council identified initiatives being

pursued by federal agencies in collaboration with their industry and university partners. The Initiatives report also

discussed an 80 percent reduction in

weather-related accidents as an overall

measure of success. To assess progress
xvi EXEC SUM

toward this goal, the National Aviation

Weather Program Mid-Course

Assessment examines trends in weather-related accidents for clearly defined

categories of aircraft and weather hazards. In each category, an 80 percent

reduction from the average accident

rate just before and during 1997 is used

as a benchmark for assessing success

in reducing accident risk. The analyses

confirm much anecdotal evidence that

the coordinated efforts and diverse

partnerships that constitute the

National Aviation Weather Program

initiatives are making a real difference

in accident rates. The investments in

research and development and implementation of products, services, and

systems are paying off. The

Assessment tells us where trouble

spots remain and points to ways we

can overcome them, while furthering

the work that has started us toward

success. 

In September 2003, OFCM published an update to the 2001 Aviation

Weather Program Baseline Report.

The update is an inventory of over

150 programs/projects in aviation

weather and represents nearly a doubling of the number of

programs/projects in the 2001

report; it was included as the framework for the Mid-Course

Assessment. The update is a snapshot of work underway in the agencies and also in the private sector

and includes a mapping of the programs/projects against the National

Aviation Weather Initiatives. The

update shows that most of the initiatives are being worked by one or

more agency programs, but the

update also cautions that the agencies must remain vigilant for possible duplication.

Space Weather. Space weather

refers to conditions on the Sun and in

the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere that can

influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and ground-based

technological systems, and can endanger human life or health. Space weather storms can cause disruption of satellites, communications, navigation, and

electric power distribution grids. The

overarching goal of the National Space

Weather Program (NSWP), which is

administered by an OFCM program

council, is to achieve an active, synergistic, interagency system to provide

timely, accurate, and reliable space

weather warnings, observations, specifications, and forecasts by 2007. The

NSWP Strategic and Implementation

Plans provide, respectively, broad

guidance and a detailed roadmap for

the NSWP.

Within the Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (FCMSSR) and

National Space Weather Program

Council (NSWPC), OFCM examined

the National Space Weather Program

(NSWP) in light of potential funding

reductions at the NOAA Space

Environment Center (NOAA/SEC).

The assessment report outlined the

many key benefits provided by

NOAA/SEC to the multi-agency

NSWP, and detailed the negative

impacts that would result from insufficient funding at NOAA/SEC on the

Nation's ability to observe, predict, and

warn of impending solar activity, and

the resultant impacts on the Nation's

technical systems and human life or

health. In the OFCM-led examination,

OFCM reached out to the major stakeholders and asked them to identify:

(1) significant impacts on their

agency's mission or operations as a

result of current/proposed reductions

in the SEC budget, (2) significant benefits the NSWP brings to their overall

mission, and (3) success stories that

could be shared that clearly identify

the service and ongoing research that

SEC is providing. The resultant report

was provided to the FCMSSR

Chairperson who subsequently provided it to the Office of Science and

Technology urging their "full support

of the NSWP and that the NOAA

Space Environment Center be supported, in the spirit of the October 2002

President's Council of Advisors on

Science and Technology (PCAST) recommendations about U.S. research and

development funding, to ensure that

the multi-agency NSWP effort would

continue to succeed from an operational and research perspective." The

FCMSSR Chairperson further stated

that, "A successful NSWP will form

the basis for improved space weather

forecasting and warning capabilities

and we will reap the associated socioeconomic benefits for the nation."

Another key part of the NSWP, the

Community Coordinated Modeling

Center (CCMC) has the mission to prepare the next generation of space

weather models for transition to operations through the NOAA and Air Force

operational centers' Rapid Prototyping

Centers (RPC). During FY 2003, the

CCMC has greatly expanded the number of resident models. At the present

time, models accepted and implemented at the CCMC include: two magnetospheric global MHD models; one

ring current/radiation belt model,

which has been successfully coupled to

the MHD models; two physics-based

ionospheric models; one empirical

ionospheric electric field and current

model; a solar coronal MHD model;

and an interplanetary structure model,

which is based on interplanetary scintillation measurements. Of these, all

but the last two are available for

researchers to use remotely upon

request. This feature is being heavily

used, with in excess of 140 requests

executed. CCMC is performing the

first comprehensive and repeatable

metric-based analyses of space science

models. CCMC successfully transferred an update of the University of

Michigan MHD model to the Air Force

RPC. In addition, the Weimer Polar

Cap model has been sent to both the

Air Force and NOAA RPCs, after

completion of metrics-based evalua-
EXEC SUM xvii

tions. Current CCMC evaluation

action involves an inner magnetospheric model, which was transferred

to the Air Force RPC in August 2003.

The National Science Foundation

(NSF) named Boston University to lead

the Center for Integrated Space

Weather Modeling (CISM), a new

$20 million, multi-institutional NSF

Science and Technology Center. The

center will create computer models

able to provide advance warning of

potentially harmful space weather

events that could put astronauts at risk,

disable satellites, disrupt communications, or cause costly damage on earth.

In addition to BU, the center consists of

research groups at seven other universities and several government and nonprofit research organizations and commercial firms. The CISM will focus on

the central and most ambitious research

goal of the U.S. government's National

Space Weather Program: building a

comprehensive, physics-based computer model that can accurately simulate

the complex, closely interconnected

variables-from explosions on the sun to

aurora on the earth and almost everything in-between-that give rise to the

specific manifestations of space weather. The Boston University-led center is

one of six new Science and Technology

Centers the NSF funds. NSF established the Science and Technology

Center program in 1987 to fund important fundamental research efforts that

also create educational opportunities,

encourage technology transfer, and

provide innovative approaches to interdisciplinary research challenges. NSF's

support for the Center for Integrated

Space Weather Modeling at Boston

University is $20 million over the next

five years, renewable for another five

years. In addition, the highly successful competition for space weather

research grants, sponsored and administered by the National Science

Foundation (NSF), will continue in

FY 2004 with a modest increase in

funding.

Lightning Data User Requirements.

The OFCM Joint Action Group for

Lightning Detection Systems met on

several occasions to complete the

requirements definition and to complete drafting the Statement of Work

for the new Lightning Data Contract.

The Statement of Work was finalized

in July 2003 and was subsequently

made available for industry comment.

The Request for Proposals is scheduled

for release during fall 2003, and the

contract award is expected in the

spring/summer 2004 timeframe. The

new contract will be in effect for

FY 2005.

Phased Array Weather Radar Project.

A meeting on expanded agency participation in the Phased Array Weather

Radar Project was hosted by the

Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

on July 22, 2003. The meeting

responded to actions of the last meeting of the Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (FCMSSR;

October 18, 2002) and the

Interdepartmental Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (ICMSSR;

April 30, 2003) which directed the

Federal Coordinator to determine specific needs of the agencies, show benefits of the Phased Array Radar (PAR)

capability for their respective agencies,

and explore opportunities for expanded

agency participation in the Phased

Array Weather Radar Project.

Agencies which were represented

include the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (National

Weather Service and Office of Oceanic

and Atmospheric Research),

Department of Transportation (Federal

Aviation Administration and Federal

Highway Administration), Department

of Defense (U.S. Air Force and

U.S. Army), Department of Interior,

and National Science Foundation.

Actions resulting from the meeting

include forming a Joint Action Group

within the Office of the Federal

Coordinator for Meteorology that

would identify the potential needs and

benefits of the agencies that PAR and

Networked Radars (NETRAD) would

address; and arranging for interested

agencies to visit the NOAA National

Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman,

Oklahoma, to see and learn more about

the Phased Array Radar and possible

applications and benefits to their agencies from the system. The interested

agencies would include those represented at this meeting, the Department

of Homeland Security, and others

including the National Aeronautics and

Space Administration and the

Department of Energy.

U.S. Climate Change Science

Program. The U.S. Climate Change

Science Program-Planning Workshop

for Scientists and Stakeholders was

held December 3-5, 2002, in

Washington, D.C. The principal focus

of the workshop was to develop shortterm products to support climate

change policy and resource management decision-making. Approximately

1,300 attendees were invited because

of the pivotal role they play as climate

stakeholders, and the impact that their

views would have in shaping the application of scientific, economic, and

energy system information to policymaking and resource management

decisions. In support of this effort

OFCM participated in the workshop,

and an OFCM Senior Staff

Meteorologist served as a rapporteur

for the Emerging Science Issues session. OFCM also used its infrastructure to reach out and invite many government, private, and academic participants, which resulted in approximately one-third of the participation for the

workshop.

Interagency Task Force on Risk

Management. The purpose of the

Interagency Task Force on Risk

Management is to examine and report

on the role of precaution in risk management decisions by managers or

decision makers in both the public and
xviii EXEC SUM

private sectors, especially regarding

risks to human welfare, quality of life,

and environmental protection. The

Federal Coordinator continued to represent NOAA at meetings of the

Interagency Task Force on Risk

Management. At these meetings,

agencies provided the following information: precautionary/regulatory risk

management standards and guidelines;

risk assessment and management

requirements/practices; decision criteria regarding different risks; and historical examples where risk management decisions incorporated too much,

too little, or the appropriate amount of

precaution. In September 2003, the

Office of Management and Budget

released a report to Congress on

progress in regulatory reforms, including precautionary approaches for different management objectives.

Collaboration with NAS/NRC

Board on Atmospheric Sciences

and Climate. OFCM continued its

mutually beneficial interactions with

the National Academy of

Sciences/National Research Council

(NAS/NRC). The NAS/NRC Board

on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate

(BASC) recently formed a "Committee

on Weather Research for Surface

Transportation: The Roadway

Environment." The Committee is conducting a study to examine the

research opportunities and required

services needed to support improved

weather forecasting for the Nation's

roadways. It will investigate the current state of knowledge regarding forecasting of road weather conditions,

recommend key areas of research to

enhance operational weather forecasts

for roads, and identify possible agency

and infrastructure requirements to best

provide this information to users. The

study will stress not just research

opportunities but, also, how to make

this information useful for improved

operations and implementation. The

study will provide a framework and

recommendations to engage the transportation and weather communities

(and other stakeholders) in the development of a strategic plan to guide

road weather research. At its first

meeting held February 20-21, 2003, in

Washington, D.C., the Federal

Coordinator addressed the Committee

regarding the roadway transportation

aspects of OFCM's Weather

Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report and, more generally, about the Federal context for meteorological research relevant to surface

transportation. Copies of the WIST

Report were also provided to the

Committee members to assist the

BASC study. The Federal Coordinator

also addressed BASC at its planning

retreat June 30 - July 2, 2003, in

Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in the

portion of the retreat dealing with how

BASC could be more effective; lessons

from past BASC studies; and how

BASC could improve, expand, and

address new audiences.

Collaboration with the U.S. Weather

Research Program. The mission of the

U.S. Weather Research Program

(USWRP) is to accelerate forecast

improvements of high impact weather

and facilitate full use of advanced

weather information. The program's

vision is to mitigate the effects of

weather-induced disasters; reduce the

costs associated with routinely disruptive weather; create opportunities for

increased productivity through better

weather information; and assist the

military in the accomplishment of its

mission. The current USWRP team

includes NOAA as the lead agency,

National Science Foundation, National

Aeronautics and Space Administration,

and the U. S. Navy. The Federal

Coordinator has contacted additional

agencies to broaden Federal participation in the USWRP in accordance with

an action from the Interdepartmental

Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research,

direction from the Chairman of the

Federal Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research, and

a recommendation from the National

Academy of Sciences/National

Research Council Board on

Atmospheric Sciences and Climate

(BASC). The additional agencies

included Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Federal

Highway Administration (FHWA),

U.S. Air Force, Department of Energy

(DOE), United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA), Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA), and Federal

Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA). This has led to more interaction directly between the leadership of

the USWRP and interested agencies to

discuss in more detail agency-specific

needs which may be benefited by the

Program. It is expected that several

additional Federal participants will

join the U.S. Weather Research

Program and that the USWRP priorities will be expanded to address their

needs. In fact, at the September 18-19,

2002, USWRP Science Steering

Committee meeting, FAA, FHWA,

DOE, and the Air Force made presentations on their research needs and follow-on breakout sessions discussed

how those needs could be addressed

within the USWRP's ongoing program.

An OFCM representative also attends

all meetings of the Interagency

Working Group of the U.S. Weather

Research Program.

Collaboration with CENR/

Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction.

The Federal Coordinator continues to

be a participant on the Committee on

Environment and Natural Resources

(CENR). OFCM has been an active

participant in the work of the CENR

Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction.

Recognizing that disasters can be the

result of a technological and/or natural

hazard, the subcommittee changed its

name from the Subcommittee on

Natural Disaster Reduction to the

Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction

(SDR). Recently, the focus of this
EXEC SUM xix

group has been to define its strategic

vision in coordination with the White

House Office of Science and

Technology Policy and the Office of

Homeland Security. Through OFCM

representation on the SDR, OFCM has

helped craft the subcommittee's charter

and annual operation plan. The major

thrusts of these documents are to

(1) promote effective strategies for

reducing national vulnerability to disaster risks and losses by leveraging

expertise and information across the

federal government, and (2) establish

focused outreach to the academic and

private communities. OFCM is committed to working with SDR to provide

a forum for information sharing, development of collaborative opportunities,

and interactive dialogue with the U.S.

policy community to advance

informed strategies for managing risks

associated with natural and technological disasters. To achieve these goals

and to support communication of high

priority, national programs for disaster

reduction and recovery, OFCM representation on SDR helped draft an

annual report that presents an overview

of current, national disaster programs,

and an identification of high priority

needs and opportunities. The report

will contribute to U.S. government

planning activities on a number of levels and is intended as a supplement to

the President's FY 2004 budget.

American Meteorological Society.

During FY 2003, OFCM joined leading environmental science and service

corporations in supporting undergraduate scholarships in the atmospheric and

related oceanic and hydrologic sciences. The scholarships, awarded for

the junior and senior years, are

designed to encourage outstanding

undergraduates to pursue careers in the

fields covered by the awards. OFCM

plans to continue this support. OFCM

also supports American

Meteorological Society (AMS)

endeavors by participating in AMS

conferences and workshops and other

environmental science education and

outreach programs.

Publications and OFCM's Web Site.

The following publications were prepared in hardcopy form and have been

placed on OFCM's Web site

(www.ofcm.gov):

 The Federal Plan for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research-Fiscal

Year 2003

 Federal Plan for Cooperative

Support and Backup Among

Operational Processing Centers

 Weather Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report

 Wind Chill Temperature and

Extreme Heat Indices-Evaluation

and Improvement Projects

 National Post-Storm Data

Acquisition Plan

 National Hurricane Operations

Plan

 Federal Meteorological Handbook No.

11-Doppler Radar Meteorological

Observations; Part A-System Concepts,

Responsibilities and Procedures

 National Aviation Weather

Program-Mid-Course Assessment

The following documents are planned

for publication during FY 2004:

 The Federal Plan for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research-Fiscal Year

2004

 Homeland Security Environmental

Support Plan

 Research and Development Plan

for Environmental Support to

Homeland Security

 A National Framework for

Volcanic Ash Hazards to Aviation

 National Hurricane Operations

Plan

 Proceedings of the Workshop on

Weather Support for the U.S. 

 Proceedings of the Forum on

Information Dissemination

Technologies

 Proceedings of the Forum on

Urban Meteorology

During FY 2003, OFCM continued

to make substantial progress on its use

of the Internet. In addition to information about the office, OFCM has

placed its current publications on its

Web site, and keeps the Web site current with information regarding workshops and forums being conducted by

the office. OFCM will continue to

make information available on the

Internet during FY 2004.
The Federal Plan

for Meteorological Services

and Supporting Research

FISCAL YEAR 2004

FEDERAL COORDINATOR

FOR

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH

8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1500

Silver Spring, MD 20910

FCM-P1-2003

OCTOBER 2003

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Editor: Lt. Col. Frank Estis

Assistant Editor: Kenneth Barnett

PREFACE iii

PREFACE

Since 1965, the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research

(OFCM) has developed a federal plan that articulates the provision of meteorological services and the support for meteorological and related research by agencies of the federal government. OFCM's 2004 Federal

Plan provides Congress and the Executive Branch with a comprehensive compilation of proposed programs

for fiscal year (FY) 2004 and a review of agency programs in FY 2003. The Federal Plan's narratives, timelines, and schedules are current as of June 2003.

The Federal Plan consists of an Executive Summary, three sections, and Appendices. The Executive

Summary, which is written as a concise, stand-alone report, provides a high-level view of the federal

resources dedicated to meteorological programs and the achievements of those programs. This year's feature

article (Section 1) describes the growing needs in our urban communities for current, geographically precise

weather observations and near-term predictions, as well as longer-term forecasts based on climate trends. Two

out of every three Americans live in an urban community. Hazardous weather, plus other environmental conditions affected by the weather, interact with the built environment of these communities to produce threats

to public safety and health and to property. As Hurricane Isabel recently reminded us, severe weather can

flood an intersection, a neighborhood, or an entire community. It can disrupt the energy supply and transportation systems on which urban life and well-being depend. Because of the population density in urban

communities, dispersion by air or water of hazardous materials, whether released accidentally or deliberately, represents a public safety risk of concern at all levels of government. Our feature article, Weather and the

Urban Environment: Meeting the Needs of Urban Communities, describes five major categories of environmental concerns for which improved weather or climate information could aid community service providers

and our public safety and health officials. These focus areas for urban meteorology are severe weather, disaster response and homeland security, air quality, water quality, and climate. The article highlights research

and development that can provide the tools needed to make improvements. It also notes the key players in

delivering the benefits of improved weather information to those responsible for community planning, information dissemination, and response to environmental events.

Section 2 of the Federal Plan summarizes the resources requested in the President's FY 2004 Budget, compared with the resources appropriated by Congress for FY 2003. Section 3 contains departmental and agency

narratives on programs for providing meteorological services and supporting research and development. It

also describes relevant research funded by the National Science Foundation.

Appendix A describes the OFCM's coordination, program, and planning activities. Appendix B summarizes the World Meteorological Organization's World Weather Program. Appendix C lists the feature articles

published in previous federal plans. The acronyms and abbreviations used throughout this year's Federal Plan

are defined in Appendix D. The inside front cover lists the current members of the Federal and

Interdepartmental Committees for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research, which provide guidance and support for OFCM activities. The inside back cover diagrams the infrastructure through which the

OFCM performs its coordinating mission.

Samuel P. Williamson

Federal Coordinator for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research

v

THE FEDERAL PLAN FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH, FISCAL YEAR 2004

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

Section 1. WEATHER AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

MEETING THE NEEDS OF URBAN COMMUNITIES

Section 2. RESOURCE INFORMATION AND AGENCY PROGRAM UPDATES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Agency Obligations for Meteorological Operations

and Supporting Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Department of Agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Department of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Department of Defense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Department of Homeland Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Department of the Interior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Department of Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

Environmental Protection Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

National Aeronautics and Space Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Nuclear Regulatory Commission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19

Agency Funding by Budget Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Agency Funding by Service Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Personnel Engaged in Meteorological Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Interagency Fund Transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Facilities/Locations for Taking Meteorological Observations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Section 3. AGENCY METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES AND SUPPORTING 

RESEARCH PROGRAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Department of Commerce Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

National Weather Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67

National Ocean Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .81

Office of NOAA Corps Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83

Department of Defense Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

United States Air Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87

United States Navy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101

United States Army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .111

Department of Transportation Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Federal Aviation Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .129

Federal Highway Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .137

Federal Railroad Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .145
Federal Transit Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

Department of Agriculture Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .149

Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration

Operational and Research Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Department of Homeland Security Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .173

Department of the Interior Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .177

Department of State Climate and Atmospheric Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .185

Environmental Protection Agency Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .187

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .191

Nuclear Regulatory Commission Weather Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .203

National Science Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205

APPENDICES

A. FEDERAL COORDINATION AND PLANNING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .207

B. WORLD WEATHER PROGRAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .219

C. LISTING OF PREVIOUS FEATURE ARTICLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225

D. ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .227

LIST OF TABLES 

ES-1 Federal Budget for Meteorological Operations and Supporting

Research, FY 2004 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .vii

2.1 Meteorological Operations and Supporting Research 

Costs, by Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

2.2 Agency Operational Costs, by Budget Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

2.3 Agency Supporting Research Costs, by Budget Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

2.4 Agency Operational Costs, by Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23

2.5 Agency Supporting Research Costs, by Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

2.6 Personnel Engaged in Meteorological Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

2.7 Interagency Fund Transfers for Meteorological 

Operations and Supporting Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

2.8 Facilities/Locations for Taking Meteorological Observations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28

3.1 Projected Satellite Launch Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

3.2 Planned outsourcing of weather positions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .120

A.1 Current OFCM Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .217

vi
SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION

A majority of Americans spend most

of their lives in urban environments. Of

the 280 million people living in the

United States in 2000, nearly twothirds lived in urban areas occupying

less than two percent of the land area.

Urban meteorology studies how weather and climate interact with the natural,

built, and societal features of these

urban environments. 

We typically think

of weather and climate as natural conditions that affect

our urban lives.

Storms and

inclement weather

interfere with our

work, our recreation, and all the

systems that transport us and our

goods to, from, and

through our cities.

Severe weather in

urban areas causes

thousands of deaths

annually. When

weather disrupts

energy supply systems or surges energy demand, even

our modern information systems can be

shut down or degraded. But urban environments can also affect the weather,

even the climate. Large cities may produce "heat island" effects on winds,

weather fronts, and storm movements.

Urban life is responsible for much of

the greenhouse gas emissions that may

be altering climate on regional to global scales.

For many of the consequences of

greatest concern, the interaction of

weather or climate conditions with the

constructed and societal features of

urban environments is most important.

For example, pavement, buildings, and

other structures prevent precipitation

from penetrating the soil. Instead,

drains and storm sewers channel the

flows into limited drainage outlets,

increasing the likelihood of flash flooding (Figure 1.1). Temperature inversions can hold in the airborne exhausts

of vehicles and industrial emissions,

degrading air quality for an entire metropolitan population, as well as for

nearby agricultural or natural ecosystems. Many of the most pressing and

serious issues for urban meteorologythe interdisciplinary study of these

complex interactions-fall within five

areas of environmental concern: air

quality, water quality, severe weather,

disaster response and homeland security,

and climate change.

URBAN WEATHER: FIVE

AREAS OF CONCERN

Air Quality. Ever since cities first

developed, their residents have noted

that urban air differed from rural air, a

difference now attributed to the load of

urban pollutants. Ozone in urban air

aggravates emphysema and reduces

resistance to respiratory infections; it

also interacts with other pollutants to

form smog and

respiratory irritants. Carbon

monoxide interferes with the

absorption of oxygen by the lungs.

Sulfur dioxide can

form sulfuric acid

in the presence of

atmospheric moisture and sunlight.

Aerosols of iron in

industrial emissions can catalyze

chemical reactions. Other metallic pollutants, such

as lead and vanadium (a component

of fuel oil), are

potential health hazards. Besides

effects on human health, polluted air

harms plants (by stunting growth), animals (by interfering with physiological

processes), and the built environment

(by eroding concrete, corroding metals, etc.). Air pollution damage in the

United States costs billions of dollars

each year. 

Clouds, precipitation, fog, radioactive decay, and soil deposition are

ways in which pollutants can be

removed from the air. These weather

elements are also factors in air and

WEATHER AND THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT:

MEETING THE NEEDS OF URBAN COMMUNITIES

SECTION 1 1

Article prepared by Ms. Margaret R. McCalla, Senior Staff Meteorologist, OFCM.

Figure 1-1. A fast-moving summer thunderstorm swept through Las Vegas in

August 2003, flooding this freeway interchange. A motorist climbs from her

stalled car into the vehicle of an off-duty police officer to escape the flash

flood. (AP Wide World Photos)
2 SECTION 1

water contamination. Knowing the

type and timing of precipitation is

important for disaster response to hazardous materials dispersed into the

atmosphere or urban water systems, as

well as for managing the routine types

of pollutants in urban air and water.

Water Quality. Water quality management remains a major urban problem. While urbanization creates growing

demands for clean water, it also interferes with the natural cycle by which

precipitation replenishes clean, potable

ground and surface waters. Run-off

from lawns, golf courses, and construction sites into storm sewers can cause

excessive silting and eutrophication.

The discharge of biological wastes and

nutrients into lakes and rivers has multiple adverse effects on water quality. The

high oxygen demand of biological

wastes robs aquatic fauna of this essential ingredient for survival. In eutrophication, discharged nutrients fertilize the

overgrowth of algae and other plant

forms. Their eventual death and decay

further deplete the water's dissolved

oxygen. Microbial contaminants in

effluents can cause public health hazards. Septic systems, salt-treated roads,

landfills, and redeveloped brown fields

can pollute groundwater as well as surface waters, particularly when heavy

precipitation taxes the retention and

cleansing capacities of the soils around

these urban features. 

Urbanized areas can vastly aggravate

flooding, particularly localized flash

flooding. The change from permeable

soils and vegetation in rural environments to paved streets, parking lots, and

roofs shortens the time for rain or meltwater to reach water collection areas.

Storm drain systems designed to carry

water away from residential and business districts further reduce the lag

times. Poorly designed or overtaxed

drainage systems can deteriorate water

quality in the surface and ground water

that receive the discharge, creating

health and environmental risks. 

Severe Weather. Storms and

extreme weather have both direct and

indirect effects on the urban environment. Heavy rains can cause severe

flooding at scales ranging from a single intersection to flooded basements

in an entire neighborhood, to inundation of low-lying urban communities

along a major river. Convective storms

with accompanying lightning, hail, and

high winds can cause power failures,

damage vehicles and buildings, and

fell trees. Hurricanes are a hazard for

the large percentage of the U.S. urban

population living within 50 miles of

the Atlantic or Gulf coasts

(Figure 1-2). Tornadoes are a hazard

for urban communities throughout

much of the United States. 

Heat waves in urban environments

increase the risk of heatstroke, heart

attack, and other heat-related death and

illness, particularly for susceptible

populations (Figure 1-3). Weather

extremes at the high end in summer

and the low end in winter increase

energy demand and prices.

Temperature variability within a seasonal range can generally be handled

by existing systems. Variations beyond

the seasonal range, however, stress

systems and energy supplies, triggering price volatility and sometimes system failure. Forecasts of these extreme

events are vital to balancing urban

energy supply and demand. 

Every transportation mode that

serves urban areas can be affected by

severe winter weather. Snow, freezing

rain, or high winds can disrupt transportation systems. Ice storms can

break transmission lines, cutting power

and communications. Rail service can

be slowed or halted. Ice and freezing

conditions impede the marine commerce important to the urban centers

near the Great Lakes and upper

Mississippi River. Icing can disrupt the

flow of natural gas and oil within

pipelines. Accurate forecasts of the

type, location, and severity of winter

precipitation enables mitigating

actions to be taken by urban managers,

commercial enterprises, and individuals. Given timely warning, public officials and the media can prepare urban

populations for extreme cold, wind

chill, and unsafe conditions. 

Disaster Response and Homeland

Security. The health and safety risks

resulting from the accidental or deliberate release of hazardous materials

depend in part on how weather conditions influence atmospheric and waterborne dispersion of the released material. Whether hazardous material disperses quickly or remains concentrated

depends largely on the meteorological

conditions. Most hazardous material

Figure 1-2. Hurricane Claudette came ashore in Texas on July 15, 2003, peeling off roofs of homes such as this one in Palacios, Texas, knocking out power,

and flooding low-lying areas. (AP Wide World Photos)
SECTION 1 3

releases occur within the atmospheric

boundary layer (ABL), the lower part

of the atmosphere where the Earth's

surface directly influences air movement. The stronger the wind shear

within the ABL, the stronger the resulting mechanical turbulence will be.

When the surface temperature is

greater than the air temperature, buoyancy forces intensify the turbulence

due to wind shear. Hazardous gases or

aerosols are transported upward, then

dispersed laterally by the prevailing

wind, forming an atmospheric plume

(Figure 1-4). If the ABL is relatively

stable, less dispersion occurs. The

urban canopy plays an important role

in varying the ABL. Buildings and

other structures affect flow fields,

influencing the intensity of atmospheric turbulence and the depth of the ABL.

Climate Change. Climate oscillations such as the El Niño Southern

Oscillation, the North Atlantic

Oscillation, and the Pacific Decadal

Oscillation have profound effects on

atmospheric conditions such as stability, precipitation, and prevailing winds.

They cause regional temperature fluctuations that alter seasonal energy

demands for heating or cooling, as

well as affecting the frequency and

severity of storms. For example, a

severe drought in the Columbia River

basin in the summer of 2001 affected

not only agriculture and water quality

in the region but also hydroelectric

power production. This reduction in

power supply contributed significantly

to California's energy crisis when heat

waves drove demand up sharply. As

the sensitivity of energy supply and

demand to climate fluctuations

becomes better understood, decision

makers are turning to risk management

instruments such as insurance, catastrophe bonds, and weather futures.

These instruments depend on accurate

climate and seasonal forecasts for their

viability.

Climate simulations are predicting an

overall warming of the atmosphere due

to greenhouse gases. If these predictions are correct, the energy demand

for cooling urban structures in summer

will increase, while energy demands

for winter heating may decrease. A

changing climate can also affect the

supply and demand for water for drinking, irrigation, and generating power.

Some urban regions may experience

more frequent and more intense

storms, increasing problems of urban

Figure 1-3. Heat-related deaths (bars), maximum temperature (Tmax), and heat

index (HI) during the Chicago heat wave of July 11-23, 1995. Adapted from

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Disaster Survey

Report: July 1995 Heat Wave. U.S. Department of Commerce, December 1995,

Figure 9 (pg. 23).

Figure 1-4. Atmospheric dispersion map, prepared for the Salt Lake City

Olympics, showing a planning scenario for transport and dispersion of a plume

of anthrax spores in case of a bioterrorism attack. Image courtesy DTRA.
4 SECTION 1

flooding and water pollution. If regional precipitation declines, urban water

users will compete with agricultural

and industrial users.

APPLICATIONS FOR

URBAN METEOROLOGY

Urban meteorology can contribute to

many of the tasks that urban infrastructure managers and public officials confront in dealing with the environmental

impacts described above (Figure 1-5).

To understand, predict, and manage the

consequences of weather interactions

with the urban environment, these

decision makers are demanding more

accurate and specific information.

They also need tools to help them

understand what this information

means for the aspects of urban environment and urban living under their

care. Each of the tasks described below

applies to many or all of the five areas

of concern. 

Public Health. Each of the five areas

of environmental concern includes

public health consequences. For severe

weather or disaster response and

homeland security, health and safety

issues include immediate survival and

avoidance of serious injuries. Health

problems related to air and water quality or to winter weather may be less

alarming, but some of the effects accumulate over time, and the risks for susceptible groups can be high. The

emerging field of biometeorology provides the scientific basis for a more

precise understanding of how atmospheric conditions affect individuals.

Transportation. As urban highways

and streets become more crowded,

even minor deviations from "fair

weather" can disrupt traffic flows. Fog,

sun glare, below-freezing temperatures, and even light rain can slow traffic and increase the likelihood of accidents (Figure 1-6). The descriptions

above of severe weather concerns

illustrate even more serious issues for

transportation managers. In addition to

this wide range of weather-related

effects, urban transportation interacts

with weather and climate conditions to

produce its own environmental concerns. Emissions from vehicles can

affect air and water quality for large

areas downwind and downstream from

the point of emission. Concentrations

of emissions or accidental releases of

hazardous materials from vehicles can

pose serious health problems. 

Information Dissemination.

Communication of weather information has to be an end-to-end process.

Observations and other data must be

collected, assembled, reviewed for

quality, and prepared for distribution to

the wide spectrum of users in the public sector (urban, regional, and state

government entities), the business

community, and the general public.

Weather data and products, including

numerical models, forecasts, advisories, and warnings, must be available

to all these users in readily useable

forms. 

Enterprise Continuity Planning.

Planning for weather-related interactions with the urban environment can

be critical to the effectiveness and even

the survival of an organization,

whether a for-profit company, a nonprofit entity, or a public-sector agency.

All of these enterprises need to evaluate their susceptibility to risks in each

area of environmental concern, but

special attention should be given to

potential weather disasters.

Comprehensive plans must combine

emergency response and business

recovery. Assumptions must be based

on a systematic re-analysis of hazards

and their potential business impacts. In

addition, businesses and local authorities must integrate their plans so that

critical business functions can be

restored in a timely fashion.

Regional Ecosystem Planning and

Management. Urban environments

are not ecologically isolated from agricultural areas or natural ecosystems

(forests, grasslands, riparian and

coastal wetlands, arid lands, etc.).

Linkages with urban areas often occur

through the weather-related environmental interactions described above.

Air and water pollution from urban

areas can affect agriculture and natural

resources downwind and downstream

Figure 1-5. After a power blackout across the Northeast in August 2003,

pedestrians leaving Manhattan flood New York's 59th Street Bridge to Queens.

A prolonged period of summer heat and high humidity, which increased energy

demand for air conditioning, was one factor in the massive power grid failure.

(AP Wide World Photos)
SECTION 1 5

(Figure 1-7). Agricultural and urban

communities often share the same

groundwater and surface water

resources. Agricultural practices can

affect urban water and food supplies,

as well as the recreational areas used

by urban dwellers. Wildfires in natural

areas can threaten the suburban zone

around urban centers, just as urban

populations seeking recreation provide

both the demand for and multiple ecological stresses on natural areas.

TOOLS NEEDED TO SUPPORT APPLICATIONS

To provide the weather and climate

information for the above tasks-and the

many others that could be added-existing tools for collecting, processing,

extending, communicating, and assimilating weather information must be

improved and expanded. Improvements

are needed in the following areas.

Integrated Global Observations.

Observations are the lifeblood of the

weather and climate forecasts, advisories, and warnings needed for urban

environmental management tasks. The

present state of weather and climate

measuring stations in cities is inadequate at best. Stations are sited in locations and conditions that often violate

the rules of observing practice adopted

by the World Meteorological

Organization (WMO). 

Research and Technology Tools. A

substantial amount of research and

technology development is in progress,

but more focus is needed on addressing

gaps in the services and support capabilities needed by those responsible for

urban management tasks. Mechanisms

are needed for routinely translating

research results and technological innovations into applications that support

urban environmental management

operations. 

Education, Outreach, and

Training. Education and outreach

activities help end users understand and

apply weather and climate information

in their endeavors. Every new or

improved product and service requires

some level of education and training to

ensure that the information is being

interpreted and applied correctly.

Outreach that creates and sustains dialogue with users is vital to identifying

requirements and deficiencies, guiding

R&D investment decisions, and tailoring final products and services for specific user applications.

Risk Management. Urban decision

makers must assess the risks of alternative courses of action. Informed risk

management requires that the decision

makers understand and have current

information about the uncertainties

inherent in the science, technology, and

applications on which they rely

(Figure 1-8). For example, forecast

uncertainties must be considered in

decisions about future events and

actions. The inclusion of forecast probabilities and confidence levels, combined with appropriate user education

and outreach, helps users make

informed risk management decisions.

Figure 1-6. Speed-flow curves for different weather conditions on a highway,

assuming a free-flow speed of 120 km/h. The point where the solid colored line

for a weather condition intersects the maximum density limit (dotted line) represents the highway capacity (flow rate and average car speed) for the highway. Adapted from Highway Capacity Manual 2000, Washington, D.C.:

Transportation Research Board, exhibit 22-7, pg. 22-12.

Figure 1-7. Water contaminated with

heavy metals seeps into a creek near

Miami, Oklahoma, from a flooded

abandoned mine. Even seasonal precipitation on contaminated soils can

cause water quality problems for

urban water supplies. (AP Wide World

Photos)
6 SECTION 1

KEY PLAYERS AND

THEIR ROLES

If the goal of urban meteorology is to

prepare for and manage the interactions of weather and climate with the

urban environment, then teamwork

and cooperation are essential. The

agents of action in the urban setting are

usually local (metropolitan and/or

regional) and state authorities. Most of

the tools and systems to make meteorological data timely and relevant to

their decisions will be implemented

and improved by the private sector.

Commercial vendors use weather and

climate information from government

or private sources to generate valueadded decision-support services and

products for private enterprises, government and public-sector operations,

and individuals. The private sector and

the university community partner with

federal agencies in R&D on new or

improved tools and information flows,

often with state and local agents participating as potential users. The academic community also educates the other

players, as well as the public, about the

consequences of urban weather and the

opportunities to manage them.

The missions and capabilities of federal agencies can be understood within

this cooperative context, which relies

on partnering across public-private,

federal-nonfederal governmental, and

agency boundaries. Descriptions of

agency missions elsewhere in this

Federal Plan detail the roles and capabilities highlighted below. Also noted

here are urban weather needs within

the purview of an individual agency.

Within the Department of

Commerce, the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

has several entities with urban weather

roles. NOAA's National Weather

Service (NWS) operates weather and

climate observation networks to serve

national needs and meet international

obligations. It collects weather and climate data, checks the data quality,

stores the data for access by other

users, and assimilates the data into

numerical and other models to develop

forecasts, advisories, and warnings.

NOAA's National Environmental

Satellite, Data, and Information

Service manages the U.S. environmental satellite systems used in civil operations. It also maintains archives of

meteorological, oceanographic, geophysical, and solar-terrestrial data. The

Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric

Research supports NOAA meteorological, oceanographic, and space missions, including improving observation

and forecast tools for severe weather

and airborne volcanic ash. The

National Ocean Service acquires data

on water levels, currents, winds and

other parameters to provide information products essential to marine transportation in coastal areas and ports.

For urban weather, the greatest limitation in current NOAA services is the

lack of sufficient observations and

higher-resolution forecasts to meet the

requirements for lead-time and location specificity of urban decision makers.

Within the Department of

Transportation, the Federal Aviation

Administration administers weather

and climate information operations and

research in support of aviation activities, including airports serving urban

areas. The Federal Highway

Administration, Federal Railroad

Administration, and Federal Transit

Administration conduct similar activiFigure 1-8. A transformer fire at an electric power substation in Apex,

North Carolina. Lightning strikes at substations can disrupt electrical

service to an urban community for variable durations. (AP Wide World

Photos)
SECTION 1 7

ties for roadway, rail, and transit systems, respectively (Figure 1-9). More

observations and increased forecast

resolution are needed to improve products and services for transportation

systems in urban communities and surrounding areas.

The Department of Defense has

responsibilities for reporting weather

and producing weather warnings near

its installations, many of which adjoin

urban areas. The defense services use

the observation data and forecast tools

of NOAA's agencies to meet mission

requirements, as well as maintaining

observing and forecasting activities of

their own. 

The Department of Homeland

Security includes the Federal

Emergency Management Agency and

the United States Coast Guard. These

organizations require weather and climate data for emergency preparedness

and for response and recovery operations in the event of natural and other

disasters, including rescue and lifesaving activities (Figure 1-10).

The United States Department of

Agriculture requires a range of high

quality weather and climatological

data for its operations. Many of its

activities are essential for monitoring

and understanding the interactions

among ecologically linked agricultural

areas, forests, and urban communities.

The Department of the Interior

responds to wildland fires, which may

threaten adjacent urban communities

or produce smoke and other contaminants that affect urban air and water

quality. It also monitors air quality in

national parks and collects water

resource and water quality data.

The Environmental Protection

Agency issues and enforces regulations on acceptable air and water quality for urban environments. Assessing

the dispersion of airborne contaminants will require additional measuring

equipment and networks.

The National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA) works with

NOAA to develop new environmental

satellite capabilities. It maintains

archives of environmental satellite data

available to researchers and other

users. NASA's satellites provide data

for urban and surrounding areas, often

at resolutions greater than those available from terrestrial observing systems

alone.

As part of the licensing for nuclear

Figure 1-9. The Transit Control Center of Metro Transit, which serves the

Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan region. The large graphical display on the

right wall shows Doppler weather radar data from the NOAA National Weather

Service. The display shows a line of convective weather moving into the region

from the west. Courtesy Gary Nyberg, Metro Transit.

Figure 1-10. A plume of nitric acid fumes rises from an industrial accident site.

Local wind patterns will determine how an atmospheric release of hazardous

material spreads into the urban environment. (AP Wide World Photos)
8 SECTION 1

energy facilities, the Nuclear

Regulatory Commission requires identification of atmospheric conditions,

including severe weather, that could

affect a facility's safe operation.

Climate and weather data are used to

assess the consequences of a radiological release. In the event of a release,

detailed observations and forecasts of

its dispersion would be used to prepare

advisories and warnings for urban and

other communities.

SUMMARY

A comparison of agency responsibilities and capabilities with the applications and tools of urban meteorology

shows that interagency coordination

and cooperation is essential if urban

weather needs are to be met. Advances

in observing systems, weather forecast

models, and information technologies

provide opportunities to address urban

weather needs in ways not feasible just

a decade ago. No one agency has the

breadth of mission, capabilities, or

resources to meet all these needs alone.

Only a concerted effort by all the partners can meet the challenges and help

mitigate the increasingly critical

impacts of adverse urban weather on

our citizens.

To coordinate this effort and focus

resources on the most pressing needs,

the OFCM is organizing a user forum

on urban meteorology to be held in late

spring 2004. The results from that

forum will guide next steps toward a

coordinated federal strategy for

addressing weather-related needs of

our urban communities.
SECTION 2

Table 2.1 contains fiscal information,

by agency, for meteorological operations and supporting research. The

table shows the funding level for Fiscal

Year (FY) 2003 based on

Congressional appropriations, the

budget request for FY 2004, the percent change, and the individual agencies' percent of the total federal funding for FY 2003 and FY 2004.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

(USDA)

The USDA budget request for

FY 2004 is $47.2 million for operations and supporting research, representing a slight decrease from

FY 2003.

Major USDA operational activities

include specialized weather observing

networks, such as the snow telemetry

(SNOTEL) system operated by the

Natural Resources Conservation

Service (NRCS) and the remote automated weather stations (RAWS) network managed by the Forest Service.

The SNOTEL and RAWS networks

provide cooperative data for NOAA's

river forecast activities, the irrigation

water supply estimates, and Bureau of

Land Management operations.

USDA and the Department of

Commerce (DOC) jointly operate a

global agricultural weather and information center located in Washington,

D.C. This Joint Agricultural Weather

Facility operationally monitors global

weather conditions and assesses the

impacts of growing season weather on

crop and livestock production

prospects. This information keeps

crop and livestock producers, farm

organizations, agribusinesses, state and

national farm policy-makers, government agencies, and foreign buyers of

agricultural products apprised of

worldwide weather-related developments and their effects on crops and

livestock. Furthermore, tracking

weather and crop developments in

countries that are either major

exporters or importers of agricultural

commodities keeps the agricultural

sector informed on potential competitors. USDA is also actively involved

in drought monitoring efforts in concert with the National Drought

Mitigation Center.

For supporting research, USDA

funds research projects through the

Cooperative State Research, Education

and Extension Service (CSREES) that

study the impact of climate and weather on food and fiber production. The

goal of supporting research is to develop and disseminate information and

techniques to ensure an abundance of

high-quality agricultural commodities

and products while minimizing the

adverse effects of agriculture on the

environment. Furthermore, the

Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

conducts research on how annual variation in weather adversely affects crop

and animal production, hydrologic

processes, the availability of water

from watersheds, and the environmental and economic sustainability of agricultural enterprises.

The Forest Service supports a

research program, initiated in 1988, for

a long-term monitoring network to

assess potential effects of global climate change and variability on forest

health and productivity. The Forest

Service is also the world leader in

developing emissions factors from

fires and modeling its dispersion.

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

(DOC)

All reported DOC meteorological

activities are within the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The NOAA FY 2004

total congressional request of

$1.79 billion for meteorological programs represents an increase of

17.2 percent over the FY 2003 appropriated funds. NOAA's FY 2004 operations and supporting research requests

for major line office activities are

described below:

Weather Services

NOAA's National Weather Service

(NWS) provides climate, water, and

weather forecasts and warnings for the

United States, its territories, adjacent

waters, and ocean areas for the protection of life and property and the

enhancement of the national economy.

NWS data and products form a national information database and infrastructure, which can be used by other govRESOURCE INFORMATION AND AGENCY PROGRAM UPDATES

The tables in this section summarize budgetary information of the federal government for Fiscal Years 2003 and 2004.

The funds shown are those used to provide meteorological services and associated supporting research that has as its

immediate objective the improvement of these services. Fiscal data are current as of the end of July 2003 and are subject to later changes. The data for FY 2004 do not have legislative approval and do not constitute a commitment by the

United States Government. The budget data are prepared in compliance with Section 304 of Public Law 87-843, in

which Congress directed that an annual horizontal budget be prepared for meteorological programs conducted by the

federal agencies.

AGENCY OBLIGATIONS FOR METEOROLOGICAL OPERATIONS 

AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH

SECTION 2 9
10 SECTION 2
SECTION 2 11

ernmental agencies, the private sector,

the public, and the global community.

The United States is the most severe

weather-prone country on Earth. Each

year, Americans cope with an average

of 10,000 thunderstorms, 2,500 floods,

1,000 tornadoes, as well as an average

of 6 deadly hurricanes. Some 90 percent of all presidentially declared disasters are weather related, causing

approximately 500 deaths per year and

$11 billion in damage. Weather is

directly linked to public safety, and

about one-third of the U.S. economy

(one-third equals about $3 trillion) is

weather sensitive. Seasonal and interannual variations in climate, like El

Nino, led to economic impacts on the

order of $25 billion for 1997-98. All of

these impacts are further magnified by

current socio-economic trends such as

population growth in severe weatherprone areas of the country, drought,

and increasing demands for fresh

water. In addition, key NOAA customers such as industry, state and local

governments, and emergency managers are demanding more reliable and

more specific weather, water, and climate information for use in key decision making. These multiple demands

all point to the need to sustain and

improve NWS' core observing, forecasting and warning services.

The NWS continues to establish and

track key service performance

improvement goals and has been recognized within and outside government as a leader in performance based

management and for actually delivering on the goals it has set. With the

FY 2004 budget, the NWS will continue to focus resources toward improving its core performance measures

including tornado warning lead time

(12 minutes); flash flood warning

accuracy (89 percent); Winter Storm

Warning accuracy (89 percent); 48 hr

Hurricane track forecast error

(129 nautical miles); Aviation

Ceiling/Visibility accuracy (46 percent); marine wind speed forecast

accuracy (54 percent); and marine

wave height forecast accuracy (66 percent).

The FY 2004 President's Budget

Request supports the funding and program requirements to enable the NWS

to better use science and technology to

serve our citizens and fulfill its vision

of becoming America's "no surprise"

weather service. This vision states the

NWS will produce and deliver forecasts that can be trusted, use cuttingedge technologies, provide services in

a cost-effective manner, strive to eliminate weather-related fatalities, and

improve the economic value of weather information.

Local Warnings and Forecasts: Base

amount is $580,600,000, with a

$4,050,000 net increase requested in

FY 2004.

$1,300,000 increase to sustain operations and maintenance of the

Susquehanna River Basin Flood

System. This system provides

enhanced flood prediction capabilities

to States along the Susquehanna River

including New York, Pennsylvania,

and Maryland. The requested funding

will allow NWS to maintain this system at current service levels. Funds

will support operations and maintenance of the current U.S. Geologic

Survey river gauge network along the

Susquehanna River and enhanced

NWS hydrologic forecast and warning

services.

$3,550,000 increase to preserve critical weather observation services in the

Pacific. This funding increase reflects

the transfer of funding responsibility

for the Pacific Island Compact to

NOAA from the Department of the

Interior. The transfer will preserve the

weather observation infrastructure necessary to support core NOAA mission

responsibilities in the Pacific such as

aviation, typhoon, and marine forecasts; climate monitoring; and support

to U.S. Navy Operations. This

increase in funding is also needed to

maintain the existing level of weather

forecast warning services to the

Micronesian States. The U.S. maintains a Compact of Free Association

(COFA) or agreement with the

Republic of the Marshall Islands

(RMI), the Federated States of

Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic

of Palau (ROP) to provide basic government and commerce services

including weather services to these

island nations. The Compact, which is

currently administered by the

Department of the Interior (DOI), provides the necessary funding to support

the NWS Weather Service Offices

(WSO) and associated weather warning, forecast, and observation services

for these islands including WSO

Majuro, RMI; WSOs Pohnpei, Yap and

Chuuk of the FSM; and WSO Koror of

ROP. The U.S. has recently renegotiated the current COFA agreement

which expires at the end of FY 2003.

COFA2, which will cover the next 20

years, assumes each agency involved

will fund its COFA programs directly

instead of through the DOI reimbursement arrangement.

$2,200,000 increase to improve overall physical security at 149 NWS facilities. This increase is needed to preclude unauthorized individuals from

entering and/or tampering with NWS

property. After the Oklahoma City

bombing in 1995, all Government

buildings were assessed for vulnerability/threat conditions and rated on a

five-tiered scale. The NWS facilities

are rated at the II level. From

FY 1996-FY 2000, DOC/NOAA funded the improvements necessary to meet

the Level II requirements. Funding is

now required to replace outdated

equipment and establish continuing

maintenance capacity to sustain Level

II security compliance. The implementation plan for this initiative

requires a series of one-time procurement actions plus recurring maintenance and technology upgrades. The

NWS performed an agency wide

assessment of its facilities and devel-
12 SECTION 2

oped a list of outstanding security

issues which must be addressed to

comply with the level II requirements.

Only program increases are discussed in detail in this summary. The

total amount for this budget activity

also includes a base reduction of

$3,000,000 to reflect savings due to the

NWS Modernization.

Procurement, Acquisition and

Construction (PAC) - Systems

Acquisition: Base amount is

$64,900,000 with a $10,100,000 net

increase requested in FY 2004.

$3,740,000 increase for NEXRAD

Product Improvement. This increase is

needed to accelerate the deployment of

the NEXRAD Open Radar Data

Acquisition (ORDA) and the

NEXRAD Dual Polarization improvements. The acceleration of ORDA will

enable the NWS to improve tornado

warning lead times from 11 minutes to

15 minutes by 2007 and save $2.4 million from the total cost of the

NEXRAD Product Improvement

Program. The ORDA systems, when

implemented, will double the range for

detection of small tornadoes from

120km to 240km, increase coverage

area for small tornadoes by 80 percent

and accelerate volume scanning from

5 minutes to 2.5 minutes.

$2,870,000 increase for Telecommunications Gateway Replacement.

This increase is needed to begin a two

year effort to replace the National

Weather Service Telecommunications

Gateway (NWSTG) switching system

and repair and upgrade NWSTG facilities. The NWSTG is the NWS communications hub for collecting and distributing weather information to its

field units and external users.

Replacing the NWSTG system with

up-to-date technology will reduce the

current delays in collecting and disseminating data by reducing transit

time through the NWSTG. The

replacement will ensure reliable delivery of NWS products to users and will

fully capitalize on better observation

data and prediction models to improve

services.

$2,000,000 increase for NWS

Coastal Global Observing System to

establish a Coastal-Global Ocean

Observing System (C-GOOS) in the

NWS. The C-GOOS is a new initiative

fulfilling the U.S. coastal component

of the international GOOS effort and

addressing the mandate of the

President's Commission on Ocean

Policy and the National Oceanographic

Partnership Program to bring together

government, industry and academia.

NOAA's C-GOOS will add oceanographic sensors to the existing NWS

Marine Observational Network. These

new ocean measurements will provide

definitive information on the effects of

the changing climate on coastal U.S.

communities; improve forecasts of

ocean conditions which adversely

impact coastline erosion and the fishing, tourism, and oil and gas industries;

allow biological and chemical water

sampling; provide information on locations of marine endangered or protected species; and monitor coral reef

health.

$5,500,000 increase for All Hazards

Warning Network. This increase will

allow the NWS to automate the collection and dissemination of civil-emergency messages over NOAA Weather

Radio (NWR). Today, the NWS

broadcasts non-weather civil emergency messages over NWR for events

such as earthquakes, chemical

spills/release, nuclear release, biohazards, and fire under authority of the

Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and

Emergency Assistance Act and Federal

Emergency Management Agency's

Federal Response Plan. The current

process for broadcasting emergency

messages requires first responders and

emergency managers to call the local

NWS WFO to request a message to be

re-typed by an NWS employee and

sent out over the NWR network. This

labor intensive process introduces

delays in delivering critical emergency

information to the public, is prone to

error, and is subject to potential security breach. The FY 2004 request for

this activity is a one time cost to modify existing AWIPS communications

software to allow emergency managers

to directly transmit a civil emergency

message over secure lines. The existing NWR network provides the most

robust, Government owned and operated dissemination infrastructure capable of meeting the all-hazard broadcasting requirements with necessary

upgrades. NWR is located in every

state, linked to the Emergency

Broadcast System and NOAA weather

radio receivers are widely available in

the commercial market.

Only program increases are discussed in this summary. The total

amount for this budget activity also

includes reductions of $2,130,000 in

AWIPS, and $1,875,000 in Weather &

Climate Supercomputing.

Procurement, Acquisition and

Construction (PAC) - Construction:

Base amount is $10,600,000 with a

$13,400,000 net increase requested for

FY 2004.

$3,000,000 increase for Acceleration

of Weather Forecast Office (WFO)

construction to speed completion of

the ongoing NWS Facilities

Construction program, including

Alaska facilities modernization and

necessary corrective actions at NWS

WFOs nationwide. The NWS plans to

replace 13 outdated field offices and

employee housing complexes in

Alaska. The proposed acceleration

will complete the program several

years earlier (FY 2008 vs FY 2013),

delivering an acceptable working and

living environment to NWS employees

quicker and saving approximately four

million dollars in inflation and program management costs. The

NOAA/NWS mission will be maintained and enhanced by having reliable

and code-compliant facilities.

$10,400,000 increase for the new

NOAA Center for Weather and
SECTION 2 13

Climate Prediction. Funds are

required in FY 2004 to award a facility

construction design/build contract to

be managed by GSA, and fully fund

the above standard construction costs

for the project, ensuring building occupancy by 2007. This planned new

facility will replace the current World

Weather Building with a new state-ofthe-art facility to meet the operational

requirements of NWS's National

Centers for Environmental Prediction

(NCEP) and NESDIS's Office of

Research and Applications and

Satellite Services Division, and OAR's

Air Resources Laboratory. The

Department of Commerce, the State of

Maryland, and academic community

advisors have all agreed on a shared

vision to build a Center of Excellence

for Environmental Research, Education, Applications and Operations at

a location in suburban Maryland near

an academic research institution with

the following objectives: meet NOAA

operational requirements; create

research synergy in weather and climate prediction; accelerate transition

of new science and technology into

operations; increase interaction

between students and professors; and

enhance recruitment opportunities.

Only program increases are discussed in this summary. The total

amount for this budget activity does

not include any reductions in FY 2004.

Environmental Satellite, Data, and

Information Services

Proposed funding for FY 2004

includes an increase in the PolarOrbiting Satellite Program of

$31.6 million and a increase in the

Geostationary Satellite Program of

$50.1 million. These changes allow

for continuation of procurements to

provide the spacecraft and instruments,

launch services, and ground systems

necessary to assure continuity of environmental satellite coverage. The

FY 2004 budget request will maintain

a system of polar-orbiting satellites

that obtains global data and a system of

geostationary satellites that provides

near-continuous observations of the

Earth's western hemisphere. Funding

is included for NOAA's share of the

converged NOAA and Department of

Defense (DOD) polar-orbiting system

that will replace the current NOAA

series and the DOD Defense

Meteorological Satellite Program

(DMSP).

A total of $4.0 million is requested to

continue the Ocean Remote Sensing

Program, which began in FY 1995.

During the next several years, NOAA

will acquire data from foreign and

other non-NOAA satellites that will

provide measurement of ocean currents, surface winds and waves, subsurface temperature and salinity profiles, ice thickness and flows, and other

marine factors.

An increase of $2.3 million is included to maintain basic mission services

including maintenance and operation

of satellite ground facilities; provision

of satellite-derived products, including

hazards support; and conduct of

research to improve the use of satellite

data..

Budgetary changes of an increase of

$1.43 million are included in the

NOAA Data Centers and Information

Services subactivity for base operating

funds.

Ocean Service

Funding provided through the

FY 2003 budget should allow the continuation of the second generation of

the NOS CO-OPS advanced data quality control program, the Continuous

Operational Real-time Monitoring

System (CORMS AI), as well as the

continued implementation of its development program of the Ocean Systems

Test and Evaluation Program

(OSTEP). The FY 2003 budget has

allowed for sufficient support to operate the National Water Level

Observation Network (NWLON) and

the Physical Oceanographic Real-Time

System (PORTS). The FY 2004 anticipated budget will not allow for full

operation of the NWLON in terms of

meeting yearly maintenance requirements, however. Both the NWLON

and PORTS programs have subsets of

operational water level stations with

meteorological sensors installed for

various partners and users, including

the NWS.

Under the NOAA-Wide Coastal

Storms Initiative (CSI), targeted stations of existing federal and state tide

station networks have been funded to

be enhanced with new meteorological

sensors. Under a NOAA Ocean

Service Partnership Proposal first

funded in FY 2002, a subset of the

NWLON in the Great Lakes was

enhanced with new meteorological

sensors and with continuous GPS.

Previously, special, water level stations

were enhanced with meteorological

sensors in the Gulf of Mexico with

funding from the NWS Southern

Region.

In FY 2004, plans are to work cooperatively with the NWS National Data

Buoy Center to establish common procedures and data streams for meteorological and water level data from NOS

and NDBC observing systems. NOS

operational nowcast/forecast modeling

activities are expanding and rely upon

NWS Eta model data streams as

hydrodynamic model drivers.

Office of Atmospheric Research

Requested funding for FY 2004 for

Weather and Air Quality research is

$56.6 million--a decrease of 1.3 percent from FY 2003. Increases included a base adjustment of $1.3 million to

partially cover inflationary cost

increases. There also were programmatic increases of $13.7 million for:

NOAA-wide Energy Security Program

initiative ($7.3 million); the United

States Weather Research Program

(directed principally toward severe

local storm research (THORPEX - The

Observing System Research and

Predictability Experiment)) ($1.3 million); base restorations ($4.1 million);

and tornado/ severe storm research
14 SECTION 2

(phased-array radar) ($1.0 million).

Finally, terminations totalling $15.8

million were proposed for:

Atmospheric Investigation Regional

Modeling Analysis and Prediction

(AIRMAP) ($5.0 million); New

England Air Quality Study ($1.75 million); the "STORM" Program at the

University of Northern Iowa

($0.35 million); targeted wind sensing

($2.0 million), energy security

(California) ($2.0 million); and the

NOAA profiler network ($4.15 million)

National Polar-orbiting Operational

Environmental Satellite System

(NPOESS)

The FY 2004 DOC/DOD budget

request for NPOESS is $544.4 million.

FY 2004 funds will be used for the

continued development of system

architecture, technology development

efforts, and critical sensor and algorithm development. NPOESS is

planned to be launched in FY 2010.

This system will exploit advanced

hardware and software technologies to

produce a more reliable, longer-lived

spacecraft with greater mission capability. In addition to new products,

NPOESS will also provide a significant reduction in the time required to

move from sensed to processed data.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD)

The DOD total budget request for

FY 2004 is $527.6 million which represents a funding decrease of 0.9 percent from FY 2003. Specific highlights for each of the military departments are described below:

United States Air Force

United States Air Force (USAF)

resources for meteorological support fall into several categories:

general operations, investment and

research, DMSP operations, and

DMSP and National Polar-orbiting

Operational Environmental Satellite

System (NPOESS) supporting

research. The total Air Force

request (including DMSP and

NPOESS) for FY 2004 is $578.1

million.

General Operations: The operations

portion of the FY 2004 budget request

is $277 million and provides the dayto-day environmental support to the

DOD. These funds will pay for support to the USAF (both active duty and

reserve components), the United States

Army, nine unified commands, and

other agencies as directed by the Chief

of Staff of the Air Force. Just over

4,000 people conduct these activities at

over 200 worldwide locations. These

people include active duty military, Air

Force reservists, Air National Guard

weather flight personnel, weather communications and computer specialists,

and civilians.

General Supporting Research: The

FY 2004 budget request for Air Force

supporting research is $16.3 million.

The Air Force continues development

of the Space Weather Analysis and

Forecast System (SWAFS). This project and other research efforts will

investigate the electrodynamics of the

Sun and Earth's magnetosphere, ionospheric dynamics, mesoscale meteorology, visible and infrared properties of

the environment, and cloud parameterization and prediction.

DMSP Operations: Though funding

for DMSP comes from the Air Force,

this system is the major source of

space-borne meteorological data for

the military services and other highpriority DOD programs. Environmental data from DMSP sensors is also

distributed to the National Weather

Service (NWS), National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information

Service (NESDIS), the Navy's Fleet

Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (FNMOC) and the

Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO), and AFWA according to the

Shared Processing Program agreement.

The operations portion of the

FY 2004 budget request is $16.1 million. The major portion of this funding

is for on-orbit operations, tactical terminal maintenance, and long-haul

communications. These funds also pay

operations costs for one dedicated

command and control facility. DMSP

funds for 119 military and civilian personnel associated with the operation

of, and to a much smaller extent, the

procurement of the DMSP system.

DMSP and NPOESS Supporting

Research: The FY 2004 budget for

DMSP R&D is $0.9 million. The

funds will be used for launch vehicle

integration; system integration and

testing; and mission sensor calibration

and validation efforts. The FY 2004

DOD R&D budget for NPOESS is

$267.7 million. FY 2004 funds will be

used for the development of system

architecture, technology development

efforts, and critical sensor and algorithm development. NPOESS is

scheduled to be available in 2010 as a

backup to the final launch of the

NOAA polar-orbiting satellites and

DMSP satellites. This system will

exploit advanced hardware and software technologies to produce a more

reliable, longer-lived spacecraft with

greater mission capability.

United States Navy

The United States Navy FY 2004

budget request for meteorological programs is $145.5 million. The request

includes $130 million for operational

programs and $15.4 million for supporting research.

The Navy Meteorology and

Oceanography (METOC) program is

truly unique. Focusing support in the

environmentally complex coastal/littoral regions around the globe, Navy

METOC is required to provide an

assessment of the impact of weather

and ocean phenomena on weapon systems. Additionally, and just as important, Navy METOC provides for safe

flight and navigation in support of

Naval, joint, and combined forces

operating throughout the world's

oceans. This task is accomplished with

a cadre of highly trained military and

civilian personnel, schooled in both the
SECTION 2 15

sciences and warfighting applications.

By teaming with and leveraging the

efforts of other agencies and activities,

Navy METOC meets these challenges

in a most cost-effective manner, providing a full spectrum of products and

services with only about 5 percent of

the federal weather budget.

The Navy METOC program is

required to provide comprehensive and

integrated weather and ocean support

worldwide. The Oceanographer of the

Navy sponsors programs in four closely related disciplines - meteorology,

oceanography, geospatial information

and services, and precise time and

astrometry. All are used to protect

ships, aircraft, fighting forces, and

shore establishments from adverse

ocean and weather conditions, and to

provide a decisive tactical or strategic

edge by exploiting the physical environment to optimize the performance

and efficiency of platforms, sensors,

and weapons.

Owing to the crucial interrelationship

of the oceans and the atmosphere, the

Navy requires various oceanographic

products to provide the requisite meteorological services. In addition to aviation and marine METOC support, the

Navy provides a variety of unique

services on demand, such as electrooptical, electro-magnetic and acoustic

propagation models and products,

METOC-sensitive tactical decision

aids, and global sea ice analyses and

forecasts.

Support to Navy operations is provided under the direction of the

Commander, Naval Meteorology and

Oceanography Command located at

the Stennis Space Center, Mississippi.

Naval METOC support starts with

sensing the battlespace physical environment and culminates with weapons

arriving on target and personnel operating in the battlespace without being

adversely affected by physical environmental phenomena. Operational

support for the Navy and Marine Corps

includes the day-to-day provision of

meteorological and oceanographic

(METOC) products and services. As

naval operations in the littoral

increase, Navy METOC support is

directed towards providing on-scene

capabilities to personnel that directly

furnish environmental data for sensor

and weapon system planning and

employment. These on-scene capabilities are key elements for enabling the

warfighters to take advantage of the

natural environment as part of battlespace management.

Navy METOC systems acquisition is

accomplished through the Space and

Naval Warfare Systems Command,

San Diego, California. Several major

METOC operations support systems

are being procured or undergoing

upgrades.

Navy METOC Research and Development (R&D) is cooperatively

sponsored by the Oceanographer of the

Navy and the Chief of Naval Research.

This area is not generally system-specific; instead, Navy R&D efforts typically have applications to meteorological, oceanographic, and/or tactical systems. Navy's tabulation of budget data

includes R&D funding for basic

research, applied research, demonstration and validation, and engineering

and manufacturing development.

Initiatives of the Navy and Marine

Corps, under sponsorship of the

Oceanographer of the Navy, transition

projects from exploratory development

to operational Naval systems. Such

efforts include advances in the Navy's

METOC forecasting capability,

enhancements to communications and

data compression techniques, further

development and improvement of

models to better predict METOC

parameters in littoral regions, and an

improved understanding of the impact

these parameters have on sensors,

weapon systems, and platform performance.

As the U.S. Navy transforms under

SEAPOWER 21, increased emphasis

will be placed on the naval force's

capabilities for operational maneuverability, precise weapons employment,

indefinite sustainment and protection

of joint forces. The Navy METOC

Community continues to work closely

with research developers and operational forces to ensure that naval and

joint force commanders will always

have the most accurate, timely, and

geo-referenced METOC information

available for successful operations.

United States Army

The U.S. Army estimates a requirement for $60.9 million for operational

support and $10.8 million in research

and development in FY 2004. The total

amount of money budgeted for weather support is estimated because the

costs to support the Air Force Combat

Weather Teams are normally part of

the overall G-3 or G-2 operating budget at the MACOM, Corps, Division, or

Brigade level and do not have their

own program element or budget line.

Operational support is projected to

increase approximately $10.5 million

over the FY 2003 expenditures, research is estimated to decrease about

$7.0 million from the previous year,

and staffing should remain stable.

Systems upgrades and acquisitions at

Army Materiel Command for the

Integrated Meteorological System

(IMETS) and the Meteorological

Measuring Set - Profiler (MMS-P) programs account for the bulk of the projected increase in operational funding

for the Army in this year's report.

Decreases in funding support at the

Army Research Laboratory are reflected in reductions in both basic research

and applied research program dollars.

Basic research was reduced by

$1.8 million and applied research by

nearly $5.2 million in FY 2004.

Army monies for meteorology are

spent in four main areas: support to

U.S. Army Artillery Met Sections

(ARTYMET), support to U.S. Air

Force Combat Weather Teams at Army

locations, research and development

related to the Army mission, and the
16 SECTION 2

development, production, and maintenance of Army meteorological systems.

U.S. Army Major Commands

(MACOMs) with Staff Weather

Officers and their associated Combat

Weather Teams provide the same support and services to Air Force weather

personnel that they normally provide

to Army personnel. This support is

provided at all levels within the

MACOM where Air Force Weather

personnel are assigned. Support to Air

Force Weather Teams includes the use

of facilities for weather operations,

medical support, the use of training

facilities, office supplies, utilities and

maintenance for weather facilities,

vehicles and tactical equipment, and

funding for official travel. Eighth U.S.

Army, U.S. Army Europe, U.S. Army

Pacific, Forces Command, and

Training and Doctrine Command all

provide support to Air Force weather

personnel assigned at the MACOM

level and below.

Major portions of MACOM meteorological budgets go to support Artillery

Meteorology Sections, also known as

ARTYMET Teams, or Met Sections.

Artillery Met Sections release weather

balloons and track their movement to

measure both speed and direction of

upper level winds. Wind data are then

passed to the U.S. Army Artillery units

for firing computations. Artillery Met

Sections range in size from six personnel at a Light Division to twelve personnel at a Heavy Division. There are

twenty-five Met Sections in the Active

Component, with each Met Section

averaging four hundred balloon flights

per year. There are forty-eight Met

Sections in the Army National Guard

(ARNG), with each Met Section averaging approximately one hundred balloon flights per year. The ARNG's

forty-eight teams employ 288 part time

personnel. Each of the Guardsmen

trains an average of 39 days per year,

equating to 31 FTE positions for this

report. Eighth U. S. Army, U.S. Army

Europe, U.S. Army Pacific, Forces

Command, and the Army National

Guard all support Met Sections.

Training and Doctrine Command supports twenty-four military and civilian

personnel at the U.S. Army Artillery

School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. These

personnel train ARTYMET Teams on

the use of the AN/TMQ-41

Meteorological Measuring Set.

The Army Corps of Engineers - Civil

Operations has programmed funds in

FY 2004 for operational programs and

basic research related to meteorology.

The Army Corps of Engineers -

Military Operations has programmed

funding for meteorological research

and development efforts related to

Army transportation and aviation.

Space and Missile Defense

Command (SMDC) supports several

meteorological missions. SMDC has

funding designated for the operational

support at the High Energy Laser

Systems Test Facility (HELSTF) for

contract services to operate and maintain the instrumentation, equipment,

and facilities to support the atmospheric sciences/meteorological mission.

HELSTF has also set aside monies for

systems acquisition for repair and

replacement of meteorological instrumentation and for data services.

SMDC also operates contract support

services to operate the Ronald Reagan

Missile Defense Test Site for operations support and special weather programs. The Force Development and

Integration Center provides space

weather support through a 0.5 government staff year effort that will continue

for FY 2004.

Army Materiel Command (AMC)

will fund a variety of activities for

FY 2004, most of which fall into

research and development and for systems acquisition. AMC will fund

developmental and testing costs associated with the MMS Profiler and the

Integrated Meteorological System

(IMETS). Army Research Laboratory,

Battlefield Environment Division, will

continue to operate an integrated program of both basic and applied

research. The Small Business

Innovation Research (SBIR) Program

and the Defense University Research

Instrumentation Program (DURIP)

were provided funds for selected

research projects. At the Army

Research Office, core funding for basic

research remains relatively stable from

year to year. Significant increases in

funding occur when special program

initiatives or requests are approved and

funded.

Headquarters, Department of the

Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-2

employs two full-time meteorologists

for development of meteorological policy; coordination of meteorological support within the Department of the Army

and with other Department of Defense

and Federal agencies and organizations;

Department of the Army Policy concerning weather; environmental services, and oceanographic support to the

Army (less those environmental services functions assigned to the Corps of

Engineers); and Department of the

Army policy concerning peacetime

weather support and point weather

warnings. This office also sponsors a

company grade Army liaison officer at

the Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA)

in Omaha, Nebraska, and a field grade

Army officer at the National Polarorbiting Operational Environmental

Satellite System Integrated Program

Office in Silver Spring, Maryland. The

latter two positions were vacant in

FY 2003 and only the AFWA position

will be filled in FY 2004.

There were only minor variations

from last years budget among the

MACOMs for operational support.

Most MACOMs showed only minor

increases in budgets, due mainly to

annual cost of living increases.

It is anticipated that FY 2004 funding

for weather-related research efforts at

U.S. Army Research Institute of

Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)

will decrease relative to the FY 2003
SECTION 2 17

level primarily due to the end of a

Phase II SBIR.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND

SECURITY (DHS)

On March 1, 2003, the Department

of Homeland Security (DHS) assumed

primary responsibility for ensuring that

emergency response professionals are

prepared for any situation in the event

of a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or

other large-scale emergency. This

entails providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any

large-scale crisis and mounting a swift

and effective recovery effort. DHS

will also prioritize the important issue

of citizen preparedness, and educating

America's families on how best to prepare their homes for a disaster and tips

for citizens on how to respond in a crisis will be given special attention at

DHS.

As part of the stand up of DHS, the

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) was transferred from the DOT to the DHS. The

USCG budget figures for the entire

FY 2003 are listed under DHS.

United States Coast Guard (USCG)

All of USCG's funding for meteorological programs is for operations support. For FY 2004, the requested funding level is $14.1 million. (The Coast

Guard does not have a specific program and budget for meteorology--all

meteorological activities are accomplished as part of general operations.)

The Coast Guard's activities include

the collection and dissemination of

meteorological and iceberg warning

information for the benefit of the

marine community. The Coast Guard

also collects coastal and marine observations from its shore stations and cutters, and transmits these observations

daily to the Navy's Fleet Numerical

Meteorology and Oceanography

Center and NOAA's National Weather

Service. These observations are used

by both the Navy and NOAA in generating weather forecasts.

The Coast Guard also disseminates a

variety of weather forecast products

and warnings to the marine community via radio transmissions. Coast

Guard shore stations often serve as

sites for NWS automated coastal

weather stations, and the National Data

Buoy Center provides logistics support

in deploying and maintaining NOAA

offshore weather buoys.

The International Ice Patrol conducts

iceberg surveillance operations and

provides warnings to mariners on the

presence of icebergs in the North

Atlantic shipping lanes. Coast Guard

efforts in meteorological operations

and services have not changed significantly during recent years.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

(DOI)

The DOI/BLM fire weather funding

request for FY 2004 is $1,100,000.

This figure is for meteorological operations and support of the Bureau of

Land Management (BLM) remote

sensing requirements for Remote

Automatic Weather Station (RAWS)

and Lightning Detection Programs.

Normal operations and maintenance of

the Fire RAWS program is approximately $800,000. (This includes personnel, vehicles, per diem, normal procurement and facilities).

The BLM optimization of RAWS

will continue in FY 2004 as part of the

Wildland Fire Agencies' consolidation

of Fire Weather and National Fire

Danger Rating Support. Complete

optimization will take a few years.

Subsequent cost savings in operations

costs will be used to replace aging

equipment and upgrade sensor packages. Proposed changes in Lightning

Detection operations will further

reduce the out-year expenditures in

this program. Coordination between

DOI agencies and the USDA Forest

Service regarding combined meteorological requirements for the National

Wildland Fire support functions is

ongoing. During the coming geographic area review efforts, interagency RAWS replacement coordination will continue to maximize

National Fire Danger Rating System

(NFDRS) sampling points and minimize the total number of systems

required in the West.

DEP A R TMENT O F

TRANSPORTATION (DOT)

The DOT total budget request for

FY 2004 is $453 million which represents a funding decrease of 0.9 percent

from FY 2003. On March 1, 2003, the

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) was transferred from the Department of

Transportation (DOT) to the

Department of Homeland Security

(DHS). The USCG figures for the

entire FY 2003 are listed under DHS.

The meteorological programs for the

Federal Aviation Administration and

the Federal Highway Administration,

for FY 2004 are described below:

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

For 2004, FAA requested a total $446

million for the Aviation Weather

Programs including acquisition of new

systems, operations and support, and

supporting research. The actual funding for aviation weather in FY 2003

was $454.7 million. The $8.7 million

decrease in FY 2004 constitutes a 1.9

percent reduction in total funding. The

changes are comprised of (1) decreases in acquisitions of $5.8 million (6.6

percent) to $83.0 million, as systems

are maturing to field operations and

some budgetary fluctuations; (2)

increases in operations and support of

$2.0 million (1 percent) to $338.5 million, reflecting salary increases for air

traffic specialists and maintenance personnel and slight reductions in logistics; and (3) a decrease for aviation

weather research of $3.8 million to a

total of $21.2 million.

The funding changes reflect major

progress in the aviation weather program bringing much automation to the

collection of weather observations

from remote sensors, to the dissemination of weather products, graphics and

decision making information available
18 SECTION 2

for use by the air traffic facilities,

pilots, the aviation industry and general aviation users. Specific programs

that will see a change in funding

greater than $2 million are listed

below:

Programs Changes

($ Millions)

Systems Acquisition:

Integrated Terminal Weather

System (ITWS) -2.9

Corridor Integrated Weather

System -4.1

Terminal Doppler Weather

Radar (TDWR) +2.0

Low Level Windshear

Advisory System +2.7

Operations Support:

Equipment Maintenance +2.0

Flight Service Stations (FSS) +8.8

Research:

Aviation Weather Research 

Program (AWRP) +4.8

The AWRP will continue research

into understanding the geophysical

phenomenon in the atmosphere and

around airports that present hazardous

conditions for aircraft operations.

Among these are in-flight icing, turbulence, visibility, ceiling, convective

activity, tornadoes, etc. Additional

work will be done to improve models,

develop better graphics for decision

making information, and the impacts

of space weather.

Federal Highway Administration

(FHWA)

The total FHWA request for surface

transportation weather programs in FY

2004 is $6.95 million, all of which will

be used for supporting research and

special programs.

In 1999, the FHWA began documentation of road weather data requirements, which has served as the basis

for the majority of work in this area.

This work includes addressing the

technical aspects of the road transportation system (including weather

data collection, processing and dissemination) as well as the institutional

challenges surrounding system implementation.

These institutional challenges

encompassed coordination within state

and local Departments of

Transportation (DOTs) as well as

across the transportation and meteorological communities. With regard to

technical areas of interest, data collection efforts will include increased coverage of atmospheric and road condition observations, as well as incorporate road weather data (e.g., pavement

and subsurface observations) into

broader meteorological observation

networks. Better processing includes

the application of higher resolution

weather models and the development

of road condition prediction models

(e.g., heat balance models) that are

needed to develop the appropriate road

weather information.

In addition, surface transportation

decision-makers require road weather

information disseminated in formats

that are easily understood and in which

human factors issues have already

been incorporated. This need will be

achieved through the development of

improved road weather management

decision support systems. A multiyear effort has been undertaken by the

FHWA in cooperation with six national laboratories to prototype and field

test advanced decision support tools

for winter maintenance managers.

This effort has led to demonstration of

the Maintenance Decision Support

System (MDSS) in early 2003. In

addition, MDSS prototype modules

have been made available to private

vendors, who can incorporate them

into their product lines.

FHWA is also taking an active role in

promoting more efficient traffic operations during hurricane evacuations.

Four regional workshops were held in

2002 and 2003 that brought together

emergency managers, traffic managers, and highway patrol to discuss

methods to improve mobility and safety during evacuations. The FHWA is

currently supporting an Evacuation

Traffic Information System (ETIS),

which is a web-based program that

facilitates the sharing of evacuation

and traffic information among coastal

states in the southeast. In addition, the

FHWA is investigating other

Intelligent Transportation System

(ITS) technologies that can be used to

support emergency and traffic managers during evacuations.

Finally, the FHWA is researching

how transportation management centers around the country integrate road

weather information into their operations. The FHWA is interested in the

types of information received (whether

generic or tailored) and how that information impacts traffic management

decisions. The FHWA is also investigating several other aspects of traffic

management with respect to adverse

weather, including traffic signal timing, traffic simulation modeling, and

freeway operations. The FHWA will

continue to develop outreach and training course material-such as the Best

Practices for Road Weather

Management CD-ROM-for program

delivery, training, and promotion.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY (EPA)

All of the EPA's funding of meteorological programs is for supporting

research. The anticipated funding

level in FY 2004 for directed meteorological research is $7.5 million which

is the same as the FY 2003 funding

level.

Currently, increased attention is

being paid to the effects of airborne

toxins and fine particulate matter on

human health. In addition, to promote

excellence in environmental science

and engineering, EPA established a

national fellowship program and substantially increased its support for
SECTION 2 19

investigator-initiated research grants.

The increase in funding for grants

(with reliance on quality science and

peer review) and for graduate fellowships (to support the education and

careers of future scientists) will provide for a more balanced, long-term

capital investment in improved environmental research and development.

The funding for the grants program

will remain about $100 million in

FY 2004. This augmented program will

fund research in areas including ecological assessment, air quality, environmental fate and treatment of toxins and hazardous wastes, and exploratory research.

The portion of these grants that will be

awarded for meteorological research

during FY 2004 cannot be foreseen, but

it is probable that the grant awards will

increase the base amount of $7.5 million

listed above for directed meteorological

research.

EPA is continuing its development and

evaluation of air quality dispersion models for air pollutants on all temporal and

spatial scales as mandated by the Clean

Air Act as amended in 1990. Research

will focus on indoor, urban, mesoscale,

regional, and multimedia models, which

will be used to develop air pollution

control strategies, and human and

ecosystem exposure assessments. There

will be increased emphasis placed on

meteorological research into regional

and urban formation and transport of

ozone and particulate pollution in support of the revisions to the National

Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Increased efficiency of computation and

interpretation of results are being made

possible by means of supercomputing

and scientific visualization techniques.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS

AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

(NASA)

For FY 2004, NASArequests a total of

$190.6 million. The majority of this

funding ($188.3 million) is for supporting research.

These funding levels are composed

of the estimated meteorology share of

the supporting research and analysis

programs as well as Earth Observing

System (EOS) and Earth Probe instruments, EOS science, and the EOS Data

Information System elements of the

NASA Office of Earth Science budget.

In parallel with deploying EOS, NASA

Earth Science Enterprise is looking

ahead to determine what will be the

important Earth science questions in

the next decade, and which require

NASA's leadership to be answered.

Drawing on existing reports of the

National Academy of Sciences and the

state of progress in current scientific

endeavors, ESE developed a Research

Strategy for 2000-2010. This strategy

articulates a hierarchy of one overarching question, five broad subordinate

questions and twenty- three detailed

questions. For each, the Research

Strategy defines the observational

requirements, which in turn provide

the basis for definition of candidate

missions to be pursued. An early, high

priority in this time frame is the

National Polar-orbiting Operational

Environmental Satellite System

(NPOESS) Preparatory Program

(NPP), which will serve to provide

continuity with the Terra and Aqua

missions as well as a demonstration of

instruments for the converged weather

satellite program. NASA and the

Integrated Program Office (IPO) jointly fund the NPP mission. The IPO

consists of representation from the

three agencies participating in

NPOESS: NASA, the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Air Force. NASA plans to

continue to work towards the success

of the EOS Terra, AQUA, AURA and

IceSAT missions. In addition, NASA

plans to deliver a functioning data and

information system to support the processing, archival, and distribution of

data products from these missions.

NASA also funds a $71.3 million

program of weather-related research

for aviation safety.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC)

The NRC planned expenditure of

$50,000 in FY 2004, is for meteorological operations to continue technical

assistance for the analysis of atmospheric dispersion for routine and postulated accidental releases from

nuclear facilities, and the review of

proposed sites for possible construction of new nuclear power plants.

The meteorological support program

in the NRC is focused primarily on

analyzing and utilizing meteorological

data in atmospheric transport and dispersion models. These models provide

insight on plume pathways in the nearand far-fields for building wake and

dispersion characteristics to perform

dose calculations on postulated releases to the environment. Meteorological

information is used as input to the

probabilistic safety assessment, the

assessment of the radiological impacts

of routine releases from normal operations, the assessment of other (nonradiological) hazards that may impact

safe operation of the facility, and the

assessment of design or operational

changes proposed for the facility.

Additionally, after a hiatus of some

25 years, the nuclear power industry

has expressed an interest in seeking

site approvals for new nuclear power

plants. Three early site permit applications are expected to be received in

2003 and be under review in FY 2004.

These reviews will also consider

regional climatology and local meteorology. In addition to its internal review

activities, the NRC may seek assistance from other Federal agencies to

support its safety reviews.
20 SECTION 2

AGENCY FUNDING BY BUDGET CATEGORY

Table 2.2 depicts how the agencies

plan to obligate their funds for meteorological operations broken down

by "budget category." The two major

categories are "Operations Support"

and "Systems Acquisition." To a

large degree, these categories correspond to non-hardware costs

(Operations Support) and hardware

costs (Systems Acquisition). For

agency convenience in identifying

small components that do not fit into

these two major categories, a third

category is added called "Special

Programs." Programs that provide

support to several government agencies such as the Air Force's DMSP

are listed on a separate line.

In FY 2004, Operational Costs

requested are $2.63 billion with a

total of $1.66 billion (63.9 percent)

for Operations Support, $919 million

(34.9 percent) for Systems

Acquisition, and $31.4 million

(1.2 percent) for Special Programs.

Table 2.3 describes how the agencies plan to obligate their funds for

meteorological supporting research

according to budget categories. The

agencies' supporting research budgets are subdivided along similar

lines--Research and Development

(non-hardware), Systems Development (hardware), and Special

Programs (for those items that do not

easily fit into the two major categories).

For FY 2004, agencies will obligate

a total of $401.3 million in

Supporting Research funds in the following manner: $319 million

(79.5 percent) to research and development and $82.4 million (20.5 percent) to Systems Development.

AGENCY FUNDING BY SERVICE CATEGORY

Table 2.4 summarizes how the agencies plan to obligate operational funds

for basic and specialized meteorological services; Table 2.5 is a similar

breakout for supporting research

funds.

Table 2.4 reveals the distribution of

FY 2004 operational funds: basic

meteorology services receiving

59.7 percent; aviation 20.6 percent;

marine 4.3 percent; agriculture/

forestry 0.6 percent; general military

services 14.4 percent; and other specialized services accounting for 0.5

percent. Table 2.5 shows the distribution of supporting research funds

among the services with basic meteorology receiving 25.7 percent, aviation

5.7 percent, marine 4.0 percent, agriculture and forestry 8.1 percent, general military 6.0 percent, and the remaining 50.5 percent dedicated to other

meteorological services.

The definitions of specialized and

basic services are described below:

Basic Services

Basic services provide products that

meet the common needs of all users

and include the products needed by

the general public in their everyday

activities and for the protection of

lives and property. "Basic" services

include the programs and activities

that do not fall under one of the specialized services.

Specialized Meteorological Services

Aviation Services. Those services

and facilities established to meet the

requirements of general, commercial,

and military aviation. 

Marine Services. Those services

and facilities established to meet the

requirements of the DOC, DOD, and

DOT on the high seas, on coastal and

inland waters, and for boating activities in coastal and inland waters. The

civil programs which are directly

related to services solely for marine

uses and military programs supporting fleet, amphibious, and sea-borne

units (including carrier-based aviation

and fleet missile systems) are included.

Agriculture and Forestry Services.

Those services and facilities established to meet the requirements of the

agricultural industries and federal,

state, and local agencies charged with

the protection and maintenance of the

nation's forests.

General Military Services. Those

services and facilities established to

meet the requirements of military user

commands and their component elements. Programs and services which

are part of basic, aviation, marine, or

other specialized services are not

included.

Other Specialized Services. Those

services and facilities established to

meet meteorological requirements

that cannot be classified under one of

the preceding categories; such as,

space operations, urban air pollution,

global climate change, and water

management.

PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN METEOROLOGICAL OPERATIONS

Table 2.6 depicts agency staff

resources in meteorological operations. The total agency staff resourcesrequested for FY 2004 is 14,480. This

total represents a decrease of 2.3 percent from FY 2003.
SECTION 2 21
22 SECTION 2
SECTION 2 23
24 SECTION 2
SECTION 2 25

TABLE 2.6 PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN METEOROLOGICAL OPERATIONS

(Units are Full Time Equivalent Staff Years)*

% of FY 2004

AGENCY FY 2003 FY 2004 % CHANGE TOTAL

Agriculture 238 237 -0.4 1.6

Commerce/NOAA (Subtotal) 5,831 5,691 -2.4 39.3

NWS 4,726 4,586 -3.0 31.7

NESDIS 905 905 0.0 6.3

OAR 32 32 0.0 0.2

NOS 114 114 0.0 0.8

NOAA Corps 54 54 0.0 0.4

Defense 5,162 5,040 -2.4 34.8

Air Force (Subtotal) 3,423 3,305 -3.4 22.8

Air Force Weather 3,304 3,186 -3.6 22.0

DMSP 119 119 0.0 0.8

Navy 1,458 1,453 -0.3 10.0

Army 281 282 0.4 1.9

Homeland Security (Subtotal) 106 106 0.0 3.0

USCG*** 106 106 0.0 3.0

Interior (Subtotal) 12 12 0.0 0.1

BLM 8 8 0.0 0.1

Reimbursed** 4 4 0.0 0.0

Transportation (Subtotal) 3,572 3,498 -2.1 24.2

FAA 3,569 3,495 -2.1 24.1

FHWA 3 3 0.0 0.0

EPA 0 0 0.0 0.0

NASA 0 0 0.0 0.0

NRC 1 2 100.0 0.0

TOTAL 14,816 14,480 -2.3 100.0

* Numbers of personnel are rounded to nearest whole number.

** "Reimbursed" are personnel funded by other agencies.

*** On March 1, 2003, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) was transferred from the Department of Transportation

(DOT) to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
26 SECTION 2

Table 2.7 summarizes the reimbursement of funds from one agency to

another during FY 2003. Agencies

routinely enter into reimbursable

agreements when they determine that

one agency can provide the service

more efficiently and effectively than

the other. While specific amounts may

vary from year-to-year, the pattern

shown is essentially stable and reflects

a significant level of interagency cooperation.

Department of Commerce. NWS

will reimburse DOT $2,500 for Alaska

housing utilities. NASA will receive

$22,000 for stratospheric studies.

NESDIS will transfer a total of

$279.5 million to NASA for procurement and launches of polar-orbiting

($90.5 million) and geostationary

($189 million) satellites.

Department of Defense. The Air

Force will reimburse DOC a total of

$3.77 million for operations [e.g.,

OFCM support ($140,000), Lightning

Data ($626,000), NCEP operations

($14,000), Shared Processing Network

($207,000), NEXRAD support

($1,870,000), HAWCNET support

($71,000), modeling and simulation

support ($535,000), COMET training

development ($150,000), geomagnetic

data ($145,000), and IPO support

($8,000)] and $310,000 to UPOS for

supporting research. In addition, the

Air Force will reimburse NASA

$160,000 for technical data and USGS

$200,000 for the purchase of a magnetometer. The Navy will reimburse

DOC $215,000 for basic climatological analysis and forecasting, and interagency coordination. The Army reimbursements to DOC/NOAA include

$450,000 from COE to NWS for maintaining precipitation reporting stations

and $80,000 from COE and ARL to

NOAA laboratories for precipitation

modeling and basic/applied research.

The Army TRADOC will also reimburse the AF Air Combat Command

$56,000 for operations and maintenance of weather systems. Army will

also reimburse NASA $60,000 for

wind tunnel testing. Finally, the

United States Geological Survey will

be reimbursed by COE $510,000 for

operations and maintenance of hydrologic and precipitation reporting stations.

Department of Transportation. The

FAA will reimburse NOAA $37.5 million for FY 2003. Included in those

funds are development of enhancements and operational support associated with the WSR-88D, ASOS maintenance, the Center Weather Service

Units at all Air Route Traffic Control

Centers, the World Area Forecast

System, meteorology instructors at the

FAA, and studies and OFCM support.

The FAA will reimburse the Air

Force a total of $3,700,000 and the

Navy $365,000 for supporting

research.

National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA). The Air

Force will be reimbursed a total of

$2.178 million--$1.428 million for

observations, forecasts, and operations/maintenance of weather infrastructure and replacement of upper air

systems at Trans-Atlantic Abort

Landing Sites and $750 million for

technology transition at Applied

Meteorology Unit, Eastern Range.

NOAAs NWS will receive $16,000

for upper air analysis and research;

National Data Buoy Center will

receive reimbursements of $97,000 for

the operation of two data buoys.

NASA will also reimburse GSA

$666,000 for replacement of upper air

weather support systems at

Transatlantic Abort Sites.

Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA). NOAA's Air Resources

Laboratory (ARL) will receive

$7.5 million for development, evaluation, and application of air quality dispersion models; and for provision of

meteorological expertise and guidance

for EPA policy development activities.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

(NRC). The NRC enjoys a unique

relationship with the DOE as a result

of the Energy Reorganization Act of

1974. The act realigned the Atomic

Energy Commission into a regulatory

organization-NRC and a research and

promotional organization-ERDA

(which was subsequently absorbed into

DOE). As a result, the NRC has access

to the DOE national laboratories for

technical assistance activities. This

assistance, while not a reimbursable

agreement, results in the transfer of

funds from NRC for specific technical

assistance by DOE laboratories. In

FY 2004, the NRC expects to task

DOE laboratories and the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration's National Climatic

Data Center at a funding level of

$50,000.

INTERAGENCY FUND TRANSFERS

FACILITIES/LOCATIONS FOR TAKING METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS

Table 2.8 indicates the number of

facilities/locations or platforms at

which the federal agencies carry out

(or supervise) the taking of various

types of meteorological observations.
SECTION 2 27

TABLE 2.7 INTERAGENCY FUND TRANSFERS FOR METEOROLOGICAL

OPERATIONS AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH

FY 2003 Funds ($K)

Estimated or Planned

Agency Funds Agency Funds Supporting

Transferred from: Transferred to: Operations Research

Commerce/NOAA DOT/USCG 2.5

NASA Stratospheric Research 22

NASA 279,496

Defense/Air Force DOC/NOAA/OFCM 140

DOC/NOAA/OAR/SEC 145

DOC/NOAA/LDS 626

DOC/NOAA/NCEP 14

DOC/NOAA/SPN 207

DOC/NOAA/NWS 1,941

DOC/NOAA/COMET 150

DOC/NOAA/OGP/UPOS 310

DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NGDC 535

DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/IPO 8

DOI/USGS 200

NASA 160

Defense/Navy DOC/NOAA/NCDC 50

DOC/NOAA/OFCM 165

Defense/Army DOC/NOAA/NWS 450

DOC/NOAA/ETL 80

DOI/USGS 510

DOD/USAF/ACC 56

NASA 60

Transportation/FAA DOC/NOAA 29,961 7,563

DOD/USAF 3,700

DOD/USN 365

NASA DOD/USAF 1,428 750

DOC/NOAA/NDBC 97

DOC/NOAA/NWS 16

GSA 666

EPA DOC/NOAA/ARL 7,500

NRC DOE/PNNL 50
28 SECTION 2

No. of Locations

TYPE OF OBSERVATION/AGENCY (FY 2003)

Surface, land

Commerce (all types) 841

Air Force (U.S. & Overseas) 130

Navy (U.S. & Overseas) 72

Army (U.S. & Overseas) 39

Marine Corps (U.S. & Overseas) 13

Transportation (Flight Service Stn) 8

Transportation (Lim Aviation Wx Rptg Stn) 114

Transportation (Contract Wx Obsg Stn) 189

Transportation (Auto Wx Obsg Stn) 198

Transportation (Auto Sfc Obsg Sys, fielded) 569

Transportation (USCG Coastal) 100

Interior 470

Agriculture 1390

NASA 3

Surface, marine

Commerce (SEAS-equipped ships) 140

Commerce (Coastal-Marine Autom Network) 65

Commerce (NOAA/NOS/PORTS) 6

Commerce (Buoys--moored) 64

Commerce (Buoys--drifting) 21

Commerce (Buoys--large navigation) 10

Commerce (Water-level gauges) *175

*Number of which have meteorology sensors 59

Navy (Ships with met personnel) 29

Navy (Ships without met personnel 289

Transportation (USCG Cutters) 225

NASA 2

Upper air, balloon

Commerce (U.S.) 86

Commerce (Foreign, Cooperative) 22

Air Force, Fixed (U.S. & Overseas) 12

Air Force, Mobile 23

Army, Fixed (U.S. & Overseas) 10

Army, Mobile 95

Navy, Fixed (U.S. & Overseas) 16

Navy, Mobile(U.S. & Overseas) 46

Navy, Ships 29

Marine Corps, Mobile 10

NASA (U.S.) 2

Atmospheric Profilers

Army 7

No. of Locations

TYPE OF OBSERVATION/AGENCY (FY 2003)

Upper air, rocket

NASA 1

Army (U.S. & Overseas) 2

Doppler weather radar (WSR-88D) sites

Commerce (NWS) 123

Air Force (U.S. & Overseas) 29

Army (U.S. & Overseas) 2

Transportation 12

Doppler weather radar (Not WSR-88D) sites

Air Force (Transportable) 3

Army 2

Navy (Fixed) 9

Marine Corps (Mobile) 10

Off-site WSR-88D Processors (PUPs)

Commerce (NWS) 63

Air Force 140

Navy 24

Army 5

Marine Corps (U.S. & Overseas) 9

Transportation 25

NASA 2

Airport Terminal Doppler weather radars

Transportation (Commissioned) 45

Army (not airfield--Test Range/USAREUR) 2

Conventional radar (non-Doppler) sites

Commerce (NWS) 31

Commerce (at FAA sites) 27

Air Force, Fixed (U.S. & Overseas) 3

Air Force, Remote Displays 2

Air Force, Mobile Units 17

Marine Corps, Mobile units 15

Weather reconnaissance (No. of aircraft)

Commerce (NOAA) 3

Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) 10

Geostationary meteorological satellites (No. operating)

Commerce (planned config of 2) 2

Polar meteorological satellites (No. operating)

Commerce (planned config of 2) 2

Air Force 4

Navy GFO (1 in orbit, status TBD)

TABLE 2.8 FACILITIES/LOCATIONS FOR TAKING METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS
SECTION 3

The National Weather Service

(NWS) has the principal responsibility

for planning and operating the basic

climate, hydrologic, and weather services and certain specific applied services. The NWS provides climate, water,

and weather warnings and forecasts for

the United States, its territories, adjacent waters, and ocean areas to help

protect life and property and enhance

the national economy. NWS data and

products form a national information

data base and infrastructure which can

be used by other governmental agencies, the private sector, the public, and

the global community. In support of

this mission, NWS:

 Issues warnings and forecasts of

weather, flood, and ocean conditions.

 Observes and reports the weather

and the river and ocean conditions of

the United States and its possessions.

 Develops and operates national

meteorological, hydrological, climate, space weather and oceanic

service systems.

 Performs applied meteorological,

hydrological, space environmental

and climate research.

 Assists in developing community

awareness and educational materials and programs concerning

weather-related natural disasters.

 Participates in international

hydrometeorological and space

weather activities, including the

exchange, coding and monitoring

of data and forecasts, and also

including the installation and repair

of hydrometeorological equipment

and systems overseas under the

Voluntary Cooperation Program.

The basic enabling legislation and

authority for weather services are summarized as follows:

 Organic Act of 1890 created the

United States Weather Bureau in

the Department of Agriculture.

 Enabling Act of 1919 allowed the

United States Weather Bureau to

enter into cooperative agreements

for providing agriculture weather

services.

 Flood Control Act of 1938 authorized the establishment, operation,

and maintenance of the

Hydroclimatic Network by the

Weather Bureau for Flood Control;

on July 1, 1940, the Weather

Bureau was transferred from the

Department of Agriculture to the

Department of Commerce.

 Federal Aviation Act of 1958

outlined duties of the Secretary

of Commerce for providing

weather observations and services to aviation.

 Reorganization Plan 2 of 1965

placed the "National Weather

Service" in the newly created

Environmental Science Services

Administration (ESSA).

 Reorganization Plan 4 of 1970 made

the NWS a part of the newly created

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA).

SERVICES

NWS provides climate, water, and

weather prediction services; including

warnings, advisories, and forecasts 24

hours a day, seven days a week. These

services are provided through a national network of 122 Weather Forecast

Offices (WFOs), 13 River Forecast

Centers (RFCs), and one space weather forecast center that collect data, prepares local warnings and forecasts, and

disseminate information to the public

both directly through NOAA Weather

Radio, and indirectly through the mass

media. Forecast and warning services

prepared at WFOs are derived in part

from prediction guidance prepared by

the nine National Centers for

Environmental Prediction (NCEP).

These centers are:

Hydrometeorological Prediction

Center, Storm Prediction Center,

Aviation Weather Center, Environmental Modeling Center, Tropical

Prediction Center, Climate Prediction

Center, Space Environment Center,

Ocean Prediction Center, and NCEP

Central Operations.

Continually improving the accuracy,

timeliness, and accessibility to prediction services is largely a result of

research and development both within

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WEATHER PROGRAMS

NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the principal meteorological agency

of the federal government. By law, NOAA is responsible for reporting the weather of the United States,

providing weather and flood warnings and forecasts to the general public, developing and furnishing

applied weather services, and recording the climate of the United States. This mission is carried out

within NOAA by the National Weather Service (NWS); the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and

Information Service (NESDIS); the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR); the National

Ocean Service (NOS); and the Office of NOAA Corps Operations (NC).

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE

SECTION 3 DOC 29
30 DOC SECTION 3 

the NWS and externally from universities and private corporations.

Public Weather Services. The NWS

Public Weather Service Program provides forecast, warning, and response

services to the public, private meteorological firms, broadcast meteorologists, and those responsible for public

safety, including Federal, state and

local emergency managers and planners. NWS forecasters at WFOs routinely issue forecasts for every location

in the Nation for sky cover, maximum

and minimum temperature, wind speed

and direction, precipitation, and hazardous weather information at least

two times per day. NWS forecasters at

WFOs issue short-duration watches

and warnings for severe weather such

as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms,

as well as long-duration watches,

warnings, and advisories for hazardous

winter weather conditions, high wind

events, dense fog, and temperature

extremes. Additionally, NWS forecasters provide forecasts in response to

nuclear hazard accidents or hazardous

material spills.

Aviation Weather Services. The

NWS provides a broad range of services in support of the aviation community. The WFOs prepare Terminal

Aerodrome Forecasts (TAFs) four

times a day, with amendments as needed, for more than 550 public-use airports in the United States and its territories in the Caribbean and northwest

Pacific. These offices also produce

about 330 individual route-oriented

forecasts three times a day for the

48 contiguous states and over the

Pacific Ocean.

NCEP's Aviation Weather Center

(AWC) and the Alaska Region's Alaska

Aviation Weather Unit (AAWU), and

WFO Honolulu prepare area forecasts

three or four times daily describing

general aviation weather conditions

over the lower 48 states, the Gulf of

Mexico, Caribbean Sea, Alaska,

Hawaii and coastal waters respectively. The two specialized aviation

weather centers, along with WFOs in

Honolulu and Guam, issue in flight

advisories and warnings of hazardous

weather conditions associated with

thunderstorms, icing, turbulence, and

strong, low level winds. The AWC

also prepares forecasts of significant

aviation weather over the continental

United States four times a day for

flight levels from the surface to 25,000

feet.

NWS Center Weather Service Units

located in each of the 21 Federal

Aviation Administrations (FAA) Air

Route Traffic Control Centers provide

direct meteorological support to en

route centers, Terminal Radar

Approach Controls, airport towers, and

Automated Flight Service Stations.

The NWS provides a service to international aviation as one of the

International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAOs) two World Area

Forecast Centers. NCEP's Environmental Modeling Center supplies global gridded model data of temperature,

winds, and humidity twice a day for

flight levels from 5,000 to 45,000 feet.

The AWC prepares forecasts of significant weather for approximately twothirds of the globe four times a day for

thunderstorms, tropical cyclones,

severe squall lines, moderate or severe

turbulence and icing, and cumulonimbus cloud associated with the above,

from 25,000 to 63,000 feet. The forecast charts also include information on

volcanoes, radiological releases, jet

streams and tropopause heights. This

information is transmitted by the

International Satellite

Communications System with coverage in the Americas, Caribbean, western portions of Europe, the Pacific, and

eastern Asia.

Within the framework of the international airways volcano watch, the

NWS, through NCEP, shares management responsibility with

NOAA's National Environmental

Satellite, Data, and Information

Service (NESDIS) for Volcanic Ash

Advisory Centers in Alaska and

Washington.

The NWS, working closely with the

FAA's Aviation Weather Research

Program, developed new experimental

and operational forecast products

designed to improve aviation hazard

forecast capabilities zero to six hours

into the future (Figure 3-DOC-1).

New icing and turbulence products

for meteorologists and end users are

expected to become operational in

FY 2004. Improved software tools to

increase the number of terminal airports covered by a forecast are also

under development.

Marine Weather Services. The NWS

Marine Weather Program is the meteorological lead for the nation's marine

and coastal weather services.

Programs include detailed and routinely issued forecasts, as well as marine

advisories and warnings for coastal

waters, offshore, high seas, and the

near-shore and open waters of the

Great Lakes.

In addition, the NWS provides ice

forecasts and advisories, issued primarily for the Great Lakes and the ocean

waters surrounding Alaska, and also

supports the Tsunami Warning

Program. NWS forecasters at

46 coastal and marine WFOs, in collaboration with NCEP Centers, provide

a range of services for tropical

cyclones and coastal flooding, convective coastal and marine weather, and

coastal hazards such as high surf and

rip currents. Further, NWS staff provide services focused on the expanding

and weather-sensitive U.S. coastal

population, and those responsible for

safety and transportation.

When necessary, coastal and marine

WFOs will issue site-specific forecasts, to aid the protection of life and

property, associated with significant

man-made or natural environmental

events or disasters including: vessels in

peril, oil spills, aircraft crash recovery

in marine areas, and volcanoes or

tsunamis. As the NWS continues
SECTION 3 DOC 31

efforts in technological advancement,

marine weather services will be provided in alphanumeric, gridded and

graphical formats to customers and

partners.

Fire Weather Services. NWS offices

provide routine pre-suppression and

wildfire weather support to federal and

state land management agencies.

NWS forecasters at WFOs provide

routine fire weather forecasts, forecast

support for the National Fire Danger

Rating System, and site specific forecasts during the local fire season over

roughly three-quarters of the nation.

The NWS deploys a national cadre of

specially-trained Incident Meteorologists (IMETS) to large wildfires and

coordination centers for on-site weather support. IMETs use weather instrumentation, telecommunications, and

display equipment to aid in on-site

forecast preparation and briefings. In

the early morning, NCEP's Storm

Prediction Center issues one and two

day fire weather outlooks that highlight areas with critical and extremely

critical fire potential based on the state

of the fuels (trees, brush, grasses), and

critical weather parameters. In addition, areas where significant lightning

activity accompanied by less than 0.1

inch of precipitation (dry lightning) is

forecast are highlighted.

Tsunami Warnings. Tsunami watches, warnings, and information bulletins

for the Pacific Ocean and Hawaii are

prepared by the Richard H. Hagemeyer

Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in

Ewa Beach, Hawaii, and for west coast

of the continental United States and

Alaska by the West Coast/Alaska

Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer,

Alaska. NWS collects and analyzes

observational data from an international network of seismological observatories, sea-level observing stations, and

deep-ocean tsunami detection buoys

which operate on a cooperative basis.

The centers use these data to prepare

and disseminate watches, warnings,

and information bulletins to international customers, WFOs, federal and

state disaster agencies, military organizations, private broadcast media, and

other agencies involved with warning

the public.

Climate Services (CS). Climate prediction products and other services

relate to week two out to one year,

including seasonal forecasts and

threats assessments. The climate services program provides the strategic

vision for climate services at NWS,

oversees the NWS climate services

program, and serves as steward of the

climate observing system. It maintains

strong ties with other countries; across

NOAA lines, specifically through the

NOAA Climate Office; with Federal

agencies; the university community;

and the private sector and encourages

collaborative arrangements among the

Regional Climate Centers (managed

by NOAA/NESDIS), the State

Climatologists, and NWS WFOs and

regional headquarters to tailor climate

forecasts for local users.

Hydrologic Services. The122 WFOs

and 13 River Forecast Offices (RFCs)

work as a team, to minimize loss of life

and property damage from flooding

and to meet the water service needs of

our Nation. The NWS WFOs work

cooperatively with the RFCs to monitor the major river systems around the

clock. The NWS WFOs are also

responsible for issuing watches and

warnings to protect life and property

when the threat of flooding occurs.

The NWS WFOs also continuously

monitor the threat of flash flooding and

urban flooding. On small streams,

especially near the headwaters of river

basins, water levels may rise quickly in

heavy thunderstorms. Flash floods can

begin before the rain stops falling.

Flash floods also occur in or near

Figure 3-DOC-1. Current Icing Potential (CIP) Product. The FAA's Aviation

Weather Research Program and the NWS developed this graphical icing product, updated every 3 hours, and available for user selected altitudes across the

contiguous United States.
32 DOC SECTION 3 

mountainous areas where torrential

thunderstorm rains can quickly change

a dry water course or small stream into

treacherous torrents of water. Desert

washes, particularly near mountains,

can go from dry to flood within minutes as a result of thunderstorms many

miles away from the flash flood site.

Urban flooding can occur in any populated area and it is particularly aggravated by urbanization where natural

cover has been removed by the construction of buildings, roads, and parking lots. Heavy rains can result in flash

flooding, causing considerable damage

to residential and industrial properties.

When necessary, NWS WFOs will

issue the appropriate flood watches

and warnings.

The NWS partners with a variety of

Federal and State Agencies to provide

hydrologic services. For example, the

NWS works very closely with the

United States Geological Service

(USGS), the United States Army Corps

of Engineers (USACE), the Bureau of

Reclamation (USBR), the Bureau of

Land Management (BLM), and the

Natural Resources Conservation

Service (NRCS) on a variety of waterrelated issues including streamgaging,

river and water supply forecasting, and

water management. These agencies, in

particular the USGS, provide a variety

of critical hydrological data including

river flow and stage, soil moisture,

precipitation, and snow cover.

The NWS is implementing the

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction

Service (AHPS), which will produce

hydrologic forecasts with lead times of

a few days to several months. NWS

RFCs will produce river forecasts that

not only account for precipitation on

the ground, but will probabilistically

account for estimates of future precipitation. These forecasts will greatly

improve the Nation's capability to

make informed, timely and effective

actions to significantly mitigate the

impact of major floods and droughts.

AHPS will also provide better information for use in managing water

demands for irrigation, fisheries, hydro

power, and other purposes. AHPS

builds on the existing NWS infrastructure, including AWIPS, NEXRAD, and

the NWS River Forecast System

(NWSRFS). The NWSRFS is the system used by RFC hydrologists to produce forecast time series of discharges

or stages at approximately 4,000 locations along the nation's rivers.

Observations. Observations form the

basis for forecasts and the monitoring

and evaluation of the environment.

Differing applications and requirements are associated with each of these

functions. Forecast applications associated with watch and warning functions must be served immediately,

while real-time availability is not a significant factor for climate monitoring.

The range of differing applications will

dictate how future instrument deployments will be conducted. This poses a

constant challenge to the optimization

of resources placed into in situ and

remotely sensed observation platforms.

The fundamental application of

observations is to deliver better products and improve services. This

demands the link between improved

services and observing systems be well

defined. We need to determine the

gaps in observations to meet varied

requirements, emphasizing the importance of metadata and sensor calibration continuity. Coordinated efforts

within the Federal community

throughout all aspects of observations

development, dissemination and use

are needed for efficiently utilizing of

resources.

The NWS approach for improving

observations consists of several

efforts:

 Make better use of data from

observing systems that currently

exist;

 Extend the system life of current

observing systems to postpone

technical obsolescence;

 Replace obsolete observing systems;

 Implement new observing technologies and communication systems that better meet the data needs

of our customers; and

 Strengthen the link between user

requirements and technology

research and development.

The NWS manages programs that

produce observations in support of a

wide range of customers, such as the

aviation, climate monitoring and

research communities. As part of its

responsibility the NWS inspects all

surface weather observing stations and

certifies equipment and observers. The

NWS headquarters establishes policy

for observations and standards and

coordinates with other Government

agencies and international organizations.

NOAA's Cooperative Weather

Observer Network (COOP), is the

Nation's largest and oldest weather network. Modernizing the COOP is

closely related to the President's

Climate Change Research Initiative,

providing a richer source of data to

improve weather and climate forecasting and to contribute to climate change

research. The COOP network is the

primary source for monitoring U.S. climate variability over weekly to interannual time frames. These data are

also the basis for assessments of century-scale climate change. The modernized COOP network will add to

NOAA's vision of an-end-to-end monitoring program that "takes the temperature" of the earth's systems. NOAA is

also developing and implementing a

Climate Reference Network

(USCRN), which will compliment the

COOP.

NATIONAL CENTERS FOR

ENVIRONMENTAL PREDICTION.

Over the last several decades, NWS

has made major improvements in forecasting synoptic scale (large scale,

slowly evolving) weather. Further

improvements will be realized in the
SECTION 3 DOC 33

severe weather and flood warnings

program as a result of improvements in

higher resolution, centrally prepared

weather guidance products out to

Day 5, implementation of NWS systems upgrades, advanced observations

from the planned geostationary and

polar orbiting satellites, and the development of mesoscale predictive techniques for NWS field operations.

While the NWS field structure focuses more on warnings and short range

forecasts, NCEP serves a broader,

national mission where national centers provide products based on output

from numerical models, statistical

adjustments to model fields, and value

added products prepared by national

center forecasters. This NCEP product

suite is transmitted to the WFOs in digital form, where forecasters use the

products to prepare local forecasts.

NCEP is organized into seven science based, service oriented centers

that generate environmental prediction

products and two central support centers that develop and operate numerical

models -- the basis for NWS predictions. NCEP delivers national and

global climate, water, weather, and

space weather guidance, forecasts,

warnings and analyses to its partners

and external user communities. These

products and services respond to user

needs to protect life and property,

enhance the Nation's economy and

support the Nation's growing need for

environmental information. Each

service center depends on the observational infrastructure, the data assimilation systems, the numeric modeling

function, and the application of model

output statistics to produce value

added forecast guidance products for

NWS field offices and other users.

Storm Prediction Center. The Storm

Prediction Center (SPC) focuses on

hazardous weather events, such as

severe thunderstorms, tornadoes,

extreme winter weather, and excessive

precipitation with emphasis on the first

few hours of the forecast period. All

Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm

Watches issued anywhere in the contiguous United States come from the

SPC. Also, the SPC prepares

Mesoscale Discussions which are technical discussions of developing

mesoscale features and their impact on

hazardous weather. For longer time

periods, the SPC produces the

Convective Outlook which are one,

two and three day forecasts of the

probability and intensity of both nonsevere and severe thunderstorms

(including tornadoes). The SPC also

issues one and two day National outlooks for areas with critical and

extremely critical fire potential out to

two days.

Hydrometeorological Prediction

Center. The Hydrometeorological

Prediction Center (HPC) provides

forecast, guidance, and analysis products and services (1) to support the

daily public forecasting activities of

the NWS and its customers, and (2) to

provide tailored support to other government agencies in emergency and

special situations. As part of this mission, HPC prepares Quantitative

Precipitation Forecasts (QPF) used by

the RFCs to develop local river and

flood forecasts and by WFOs to develop local rainfall, snow and ice forecasts. The HPC provides special QPFs

and coordinates with other federal

agencies, such as the Federal

Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA), during major flood events.

The HPC also provides an array of

analyses and forecasts out to seven

days of frontal systems, pressure patterns, temperature, and precipitation

for use by WFOs and the private

weather community. Additionally,

HPC serves as the backup to the

National Hurricane Center.

Aviation Weather Center. The NCEP

experts for aviation meteorology are

concentrated at the Aviation Weather

Center (AWC). The AWC provides

weather warnings, advisories and forecasts to the aviation community under

an international agreement through the

International Civil Aviation

Organization. The AWC provides

wind, and flight hazards (e.g., icing,

turbulence) forecasts for flight planning and en route aircraft operations

for the United States, the Gulf of

Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, the

Atlantic and Pacific routes in the

Northern Hemisphere and some routes

in the Southern Hemisphere. The

AWC also produces guidance products

used by WFOs to support airport terminal forecasts. Thus, the AWC produces large scale, global aviation functions centrally, while the WFOs customize local aviation products based

on centralized guidance provided by

the AWC and local observations.

Environmental Modeling Center.

The Environmental Modeling Center

(EMC) improves NCEP's numerical

climate, water, and weather predictions

through data assimilation and computer modeling. To provide mesoscale

predictions (thunderstorms, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, etc.),

ocean predictions and global weather

and climate predictions, EMC develops, adapts, improves, and monitors

data assimilation systems and global,

regional and mesoscale models of the

atmosphere, land surface, ocean, and

atmosphere/ocean/land systems. The

EMC uses advanced modeling methods developed internally and cooperatively with universities, the international scientific community, NESDIS,

NOAA laboratories, and other government agencies. As an example, EMC

is a partner in the newly created

NASA/NOAA Joint Center for

Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)

designed to accelerate the use of

research and operational satellite data

in NCEP operational models. The

EMC integrates research and technology through collaborative model development projects. These interactions

serve as an efficient and effective interface between NCEP and the scientific

community that develop ideas, numer-
34 DOC SECTION 3 

ical models, and forecast techniques to

implement model improvements and

improve NWS products. The EMC

conducts applied research and technology transfers and publishes research

results in various media for dissemination to the world meteorological,

oceanographic, and climate community. EMC also participates in ongoing

interactive research programs such as

the U.S. Weather Research Program's

(USWRP) Hurricane at Landfall project and the community Weather

Research and Forecast (WRF) model.

Furthermore, EMC is participating in

the Pacific targeting observation

experiment. EMC research, coupled

with increased model resolution, has

resulted in a number of improvements

in the10 Km Meso Eta model precipitation, the 12 Km Meso Eta topography and winds, and hurricane track

forecasts.

Climate Prediction Center. The

Climate Prediction Center (CPC) provides operational monitoring and prediction of global and regional climate

variability, with emphasis on applied

research and partnerships, to improve

understanding of the global climate

system, weather and climate links,

extremes and trends. CPC develops

and maintains data bases for determining current and historical climate

anomalies and trends, and provides

analyses and assessments of their origins and linkages to the global climate

system. CPC products and services

cover time scales ranging from next

week (days 6-10) to seasons and out to

a year in advance, and cover land,

ocean, and atmosphere extending into

the stratosphere. CPC's products

include probabilistic long range outlooks for temperature and precipitation, the multi-agency U.S. Drought

Monitor (Figure 3-DOC-2), a drought

outlook, and El Niño Southern

Oscillation discussions and outlooks,

among many others. WFOs, as well as

the public, private industry, and the

national and international research

community use CPC products and climate services.

Space Environment Center. The

Space Environment Center (SEC) provides national and international forecasts, alerts, and warnings of extraordinary conditions in the space environment, solar radio noise, solar energetic

particles, solar X ray radiation, geomagnetic activity, and conditions of

stratospheric warming. The SEC

observes, assesses, and predicts activity in the space environment to promote

public safety and to mitigate economic

loss that could result from disruption

of satellite operations, communications and navigation systems, and electric power distribution grids. The SEC

issues to the public, its U.S. Air Force

partners, and vendors of value-added

services specific predictions of the

space weather activity level for the

next three days and more general predictions up to several weeks in

advance, as well as weekly summaries

of observed solar terrestrial conditions.

Ocean Prediction Center. The Ocean

Prediction Center (OPC) provides

atmospheric and oceanographic warning, forecast, and analysis products and

services for the North Atlantic and

North Pacific (north of 30 degrees)

(see Figure 3-DOC-3) as part of the

NWS mission of protecting life and

property and enhancing economic

opportunity. As part of this, OPC handles United States international meteorological obligations to marine interests under the International

Convention for Safety of Life at Sea

(SOLAS). The OPC provides weather

and sea state warnings and forecasts

for the high seas of the Northern

Hemisphere north of 30 degrees for

planning and operational purposes.

OPC warnings and products go directly to ships and are vital for the protection of life and property at sea. The

OPC also coordinates forecasts with

and provides forecast guidance to

WFOs with coastal responsibilities. 

Tropical Prediction Center/National

Hurricane Center. The NCEP experts

in the area of tropical meteorology are

concentrated in the Tropical Prediction

Center (TPC)/National Hurricane

Center (NHC). TPC/NHC services

include advisories, watches, and warnings for tropical cyclones in the North

Atlantic and eastern North Pacific hurricane basins including the portions of

the coastline threatened by such

storms. In addition, TPC forecasters

provide marine analyses and forecast

products for the same areas of responsibility, south of about 31 north latitude

and a portion of the southeast Pacific.

The TPC/NHC provides guidance,

coordination, and tropical weather

expertise to WFO forecasters, the

media, and private industry.

NCEP Central Operations. The

NCEP Central Operations (NCO) is

responsible for NCEP operations,

including access to real time data, and

its quality control and use in numerical

weather prediction systems, as well as

the workstations used by NCEP forecasters to access model output and

other data necessary for producing

guidance products. The NCO provides

management, procurement, development, installation, maintenance, and

operation of all computing and communications related services that link

individual NCEP activities together.

The NCO is the focal point for establishing and executing policies, standards, procedures, and documentation

for computing and communications

within the entire NCEP organization.

The NCO maintains and manages the

supercomputer and runs the computer

applications that generate all NCEP

model products. The NCO leads the

technical transition between the

research and development of numerical weather and climate prediction

models and their operational use on the

NCEP computer systems. In addition,

NCO provides 24 hour information

services and operational support for

NCEP computing systems, including

the network which ties together inter-
SECTION 3 DOC 35

nal NCEP communications, NWS high

performance computer systems, forecaster workstations, personal computers and a user service that support all

NCEP centers. NCO has recently

shown significant improvement at reliably getting products to customers.

Other NWS Offices with National

Responsibilities. In addition to the

NCEP centers, there are three other

offices that provide National products.

They are the Alaskan Aviation Unit,

the WFO Honolulu/Central Pacific

Hurricane Center, and the WFO Guam.

Alaskan Aviation Unit. The Alaskan

Aviation Unit (AAU) provides weather

forecasts to the aviation community

under an international agreement

through the International Civil

Aviation Organization (ICAO). The

AAU provides wind, temperature, and

flight hazards (e.g., icing, turbulence)

forecasts for flight planning and

enroute aircraft operations for Alaska

and surrounding areas (Figure 3-DOC-2).

WFO Guam. WFO Guam provides

wind, temperature, and flight hazards

(e.g., icing, turbulence) forecasts for

flight planning and enroute aircraft

operations for U.S. territories and

Micronesia in the northwest Pacific

south of 30° N latitude through ICAO

international agreement.

WFO Honolulu/Central Pacific

Hurricane Center. WFO

Honolulu/Central Pacific Hurricane

Center (CPHC) provides products in

aviation, marine, and tropical cyclone

areas. In aviation, WFO Honolulu provides wind, temperature, and flight

hazards (e.g., icing, turbulence) forecasts for flight planning and enroute

aircraft operations for central north

Pacific from 140° W to 160° E longitude and south of 30 N latitude through

ICAO international agreement. The

office handles international meteorological obligations to marine interests

under the International Convention for

Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). WFO

Honolulu provides weather and sea

state warnings and forecasts for the

high seas of the central north and south

Pacific south of 30° N latitude. CPHC

issues tropical cyclone advisories,

forecasts, watches, and warnings for

the central north Pacific including

Hawaii.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

The NWS conducts applied research,

building upon the more basic research

conducted by NOAA laboratories and

the academic community. Applied

meteorological and hydrological

research is integral to providing more

timely and accurate weather, water,

and climate services to the public.

Meteorological Research. The NWS conducts meteorological research to develop, test, evaluate, and improve numerical models and analysis/forecast techniques for weather and climate prediction including:

 Techniques for predicting

Figure 3-DOC-2. Two products available from the

Alaska Aviation Weather Center are an Aviation

Weather Clickable map (top, left) and Forecast

Surface map (lower, right).
36 DOC SECTION 3 

mesoscale phenomena (e.g., heavy

precipitation, tornadoes, and severe

thunderstorms).

 Models to improve hurricane tracking, hurricane probability estimates, and tropical analyses.

 Storm surge models to assist in

developing hurricane evacuation

plans for additional coastal basins.

 Techniques to improve prediction

of seasonal to interannual climate

variability and their impacts on

weather variability

Hydrologic Research. The NWS

develops, implements and operationally supports improved hydrologic,

hydraulic and hydrometeorological

models and manages hydrologic data

and enhanced quality control procedure to support national flood and

water resources forecasting. Research

encompasses the following areas:

 Improvements to the Ensemble

Streamflow Prediction (ESP) system and its complimentary models

in the NWS River Forecasting

System. Research, development

and implementation of improved

ESP procedures which improve

forecast accuracy and quantify

uncertainty at all time scales.

 Specialized flood and flash flood

forecasting procedures using linked

hydrologic, hydraulic and meteorological models. Major research

areas include developing distributed hydrologic models that use

high resolution precipitation data

from the NWS radar network,

improvement of cold region

processes in watershed models, and

assimilation of data to improve initial conditions. Highly specialized

hydraulic models for routing river

flows will also provide information

for generating maps of inundated

areas.

 Development of improved multisensor precipitation estimates for

input estimates for input into operational hydrologic and atmospheric

models. Radar, rain gauge and

satellite rainfall estimates are

merged to produce optimum rainfall analyses.

 Development of verification methods to assess the added-value of

new science and technology to the

customer.

Space Weather Research. Applied

research improves the specification

and forecast of conditions in the space

environment by developing and implementing models and indices, as well as

by obtaining and processing new

observations.

 Developing of the first dynamic,

global ionospheric model to use

ensemble Kalman filter techniques

to assimilate data every 15 minutes.

Disparate data from widely dispersed sources will enable the

model output to be useful to radiocommunicators and GPS and

LORAN users.

 Developing of models to characterize and predict geomagnetic storm

intensity development, spatially

and temporally.

Support for Collaborative Research

with the Academic Community and

Other Partners: The Collaborative

Science, Technology, and Applied

Research (CSTAR) program was

established to bring NWS-supported

collaborative activities with the academic community into a structured

program and to create a cost-effective

transition from basic and applied

research to operations and services.

The CSTAR Program issues a yearly

request for proposals through which

colleges and universities compete for

1-3 years of research funding.

CSTAR supports short-term research

activities with colleges and universities through the NWS/Cooperative

Program for Operational

Meteorology, Education, and

Training (COMET) Outreach

Program. The NWS also funds specific applied research grants and

cooperative agreements directly in

support of hydrology and meteorology research needs.

Training. The NWS provides trainFigure 3-DOC-3. United States High Seas Forecast Areas of Responsibility.
SECTION 3 DOC 37

ing to its workforce in support of the

NWS mission and to enhance the professional and scientific development of

its staff. Training deficiencies and

requirements are identified and

addressed via the National Strategic

Training and Education Plan (NSTEP)

process which is available on the NWS

Web site www.nws.noaa.gov/

om/os/org/training/nstep.pdf

The NWS provides staff training

through a variety of in-residence and

distance learning techniques. Handson, in-residence training is provided at

three professional training facilities.

The NWS Training Center (NWSTC)

in Kansas City, Missouri, provides

technical and management training;

the Warning Decision Training Branch

(WDTB) in Norman, Oklahoma, provides training on how to integrate

remotely sensed data toward improving the warning decision process; and

the Cooperative Program for

Operational Meteorology, Education

and Training (COMET) in Boulder,

Colorado, provides advanced meteorological education. These facilities

along with other groups also provide

distance learning, Internet modules,

tele-training, webcasts and CD-ROM

based training for access by the NWS

workforce to ensure currency with the

latest software, hardware and forecasting techniques.

In addition to providing the technical

training cited above, the NWS is also

working to develop and expand its

Leadership Academy. The goal of the

NWS Leadership Academy is align the

development of NWS staff with the

advancement of science and technology to enable NWS to lead, perform,

and serve with competitive advantage.

The Academy is founded on a sequential and progressive approach designed

to develop people and improve performance. From entry into the agency

to senior career status, employees will

be able to take advantage of courses

and processes that are part of a powerful management and leadership learning environment.

SECTION 3 DOC 39

The National Environmental

Satellite, Data, and Information

Service (NESDIS), part of the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), manages United

States civil operational environmental

satellite systems, as well as the three

NOAA National Data Centers (NNDC)

that develop global, national, and

regional databases that support meteorology, oceanography, geophysics, and

the space environment. From these

sources, NESDIS develops and distributes environmental data and information products and services critical to

the protection of life and property, the

national economy, energy development and distribution, global food supplies, and development and management of environmental resources.

NESDIS was established as a NOAA

line office on December 1, 1982. The

merger of the former National

Environmental Satellite Service

(NESS) and Environ-mental Data and

Information Service (EDIS) formed

NESDIS.

NESDIS procures, launches and

operates two types of satellites to provide worldwide environmental data

and information products and services

to Federal agencies, state and local

governments, and private users. These

are the Polar Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) and

Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES).

Currently NESDIS is operating five

polar orbiters. NOAA-16 and

NOAA-17 are classified as the primary

"operational" satellites and are part of

the new series of polar orbiters, with

improved sensors, that began with the

launch of NOAA-15 in May 1998, followed by NOAA-16 on

September 21, 2000, and finally, the

newest, NOAA-17 launched

June 24, 2002. The NOAA-12,

NOAA-14 and NOAA-15 satellites

continue to transmit data as stand-by

satellites. The two primary POES

satellites are constantly circling the

Earth in an almost north-south orbit,

passing close to both poles. The orbits

are circular, with an altitude between

830 (morning orbit) and 870 (afternoon orbit) km, and are sun synchronous. One satellite crosses the equator

at 7:30 a.m. local time, the other at

1:40 p.m. local time. The circular orbit

permits uniform data acquisition by the

satellite and efficient control of the

satellite by the NOAA Command and

Data Acquisition (CDA) stations located near Fairbanks, Alaska and Wallops

Island, Virginia. Operating as a pair,

these satellites ensure that data for

any region of the Earth are no more

than six hours old. Each satellite

orbits the Earth 14 times per day, collecting global data for atmospheric

and surface measurements in support

of short-term weather forecasting and

longer-term global climate change

research. NOAA also manages the

command, control, and communications function of the DoD's Defense

Meteorological Satellite Program

(DMSP) constellations.

An agreement finalized with the

European Organization for the

Exploitation of Meteorological

Satellites (EUMETSAT) gives

EUMETSAT responsibility for the

morning segment of the polar environmental mission (circa 9:30 a.m. LST),

with United States-provided payload

instruments and sensors, beginning in

2005. Thus, upon inception of this

operational arrangement, NOAA will

operate the afternoon mission while

EUMETSAT will support the morning

mission.

On October 3, 1994, NOAA, the

Depart-ment of Defense (DoD), and

the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA) combined the

nation's military and civilian environmental satellite programs to create an

Integrated Program Office (IPO) to

develop, manage, acquire, and operate

the national polar-orbiting meteorological satellite system, subsequently designated the National Polar-orbiting

Operational Environmental Satellite

System (NPOESS). The IPO is organizationally located within NOAA and is

headed by a System Program Director

responsible to the NPOESS Executive

Committee. This committee, which

consists of the Under Secretary of

Commerce for Oceans and

Atmosphere, the Under Secretary of

the Air Force, and the NASA Deputy

Administrator, serves as a board of

directors to ensure that overall program plans also meet the individual

needs of the three participating agencies.

The IPO concept provides each of

the participating agencies with lead

responsibility for one of three primary

functional areas. NOAA has overall

responsibility for the converged system and is responsible to the IPO for

satellite operations. NOAA is also the

primary interface with the international and civil user communities. DoD is

responsible to support the IPO for

NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE, DATA, AND INFORMATION SERVICE
40 DOC SECTION 3 

major systems acquisitions including

launch support. NASA has a primary

responsibility for facilitating the development and incorporation of new costeffective technologies into the converged system. Although each agency

provides certain key personnel in their

lead role, each functional division is

staffed by tri-agency work teams to

maintain the integrated approach. The

first operational satellite and ground

system will be delivered by the shared

system performance prime contractor

Northrop Grumman, and is expected to

be available late in this decade depending on when the current NOAA DMSP

programmed satellite assets are

exhausted.

NPOESS will provide standard

meteorological data, oceanographic,

environmental, climatic, space environmental remote sensing information,

as well as continue providing surface

data collection and search and rescue

capability. The IPO, in consultation

with the NOAA and DMSP program

offices, is also studying additional

potential cost effective approaches to

maximize user satisfaction during the

transition to NPOESS while guaranteeing continued non-interrupted data

services. The first NPOESS launch is

planned for 2009. However, the

NPOESS system is a launch-ondemand system. Based on this strategy, the first NPOESS satellite, referred

to as C1, should be available in 2008 to

support any potential on-orbit or

launch failure of POES-N'. However

based on the latest revisions the new

launch date for C1 is November 2009.

Additionally, due to damage to N' a

replan effort is currently underway

(See Table 3.1).

NESDIS is also responsible for operating two Geostationary Operational

Environmental Satellites (GOES), they

are referred to as GOES East and

GOES West. Each satellite views

nearly one third of the Earth's surface.

The GOES-12 (East) satellite is positioned at 75° W longitude and the

equator and monitors North and South

America and most of the Atlantic

Ocean. The GOES-10 (West) satellite

is positioned at 135° W longitude and

the equator monitors North America

and the Pacific Ocean basin. The two

operate together to produce a full-face

picture of the Earth, day and night.

Thereby providing the kind of continuous monitoring necessary for intensive

data analysis. They circle the Earth in

a geosynchronous orbit, which means

they orbit the equatorial plane of the

Earth at a speed matching the Earth's

rotation. This allows them to hover

continuously over one position on the

surface. The geosynchronous plane is

about 35,800 km (22,300 miles) above

the Earth, high enough to allow the

satellites a full-disc view of the Earth.

Because they stay above a fixed spot

on the surface, they provide a constant

vigil for the atmospheric "triggers" for

severe weather conditions such as tornadoes, flash floods, hail storms, and

hurricanes. When these conditions

develop the GOES satellites are able to

monitor storm development and track

their movements. Additionally, as part

of a NOAA bilateral agreement with

Japan, GOES-9 has been provided to

the Japanese Meteorological Agency to

replace their failing geostationary

satellite. This will ensure Pacific geostationary satellite coverage for Japan,

the U.S. and our allies. Finally,

GOES-11 is being stored in orbit as a

replacement for GOES-12 or

GOES-10 in the event of failure of

either of these systems.

ENVIRONMENTAL SATELLITE

SERVICES

Office of Satellite Operations. The

Office of Satellite Operations (OSO)

directs the operation of NOAA's environmental satellites and the acquisition

of remotely sensed environmental

data. It manages the Satellite

Operations Control Center (SOCC)

and Command and Data Acquisition

(CDA) stations, which command and

control, track, and acquire data from

these environmental satellites.

OSO took over the command, control, and communications function of

the DoD's DMSP constellation in

1998. The mission of DMSP is to provide meteorological and special sensor

data to users in support of worldwide

DoD missions. DMSP is now operated

from the SOCC at Suitland, Maryland.

SOCC is the primary center for normal

operations, mission planning, engineering, launch and early orbit support,

and anomaly resolution. A new ground

system was developed for DMSP

called Integrated Polar Acquisition and

Control Subsystem.

Office of Satellite Data Processing

and Distribution. The Office of

Satellite Data Processing and

Distribution (OSDPD) directs the

operations of NESDIS central ground

data processing facilities. It processes

and distributes current weather satellite

data and derived products to the NWS

and other domestic and foreign users

including value-added customers, and

provides coordination and customer

services for satellite direct broadcast

users and GOES scheduling. Satellite

sources include the European,

Japanese, and Indian operational geostationary satellites and other research

or experimental sources, such as the

NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring

Mission (TRMM) and Earth Observing

System (EOS; Aqua, Terra, and Aura

missions), Japan's ADEOS-II, and the

DoD's WindSAT mission. OSDPD

processes and distributes these NOAA

and non-NOAA environmental satellite products to the NWS Advanced

Weather Interactive Processing System

(AWIPS), National Centers and

Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs), and

other federal, state, and private sector

organizations through dedicated satellite processing and server configurations, or through the NOAAPORT

satellite point-to-point broadcast facility.

Data for NOAAPORT are remapped

digital data and include satellite prod-
SECTION 3 DOC 41

ucts and derived products, such as

satellite precipitation estimates, high

density wind direction and intensities

at various atmospheric levels, quantitative precipitation estimates, and volcanic ash advisory messages. NOAAPORT delivers GOES and soon to be

added POES products in virtual realtime to the AWIPS. AWIPS is the

newest NWS display and analysis

workstation used in their national centers and field sites to integrate and display satellite data, model data, observations, radar and wind profiles for

hydro-meteorological analyses. As the

AWIPS satellite capabilities improve,

NESDIS will shift focus from support

of the RAMM Branch Advanced

Meteorological Satellite Demonstration and Interpretation System

(RAMSDIS). RAMSDIS currently

supplies digital GOES and POES

images to a group of NWS sites via the

Internet for demonstration, evaluation,

and familiarization purposes. RAMSDIS

enables forecasters to perform operations, such as looping, enhancement

curve changes, and local image recombination of satellite spectral channels.

NESDIS continues to support the

Cospas-Sarsat Program through provision of satellites, ground stations, and

alert data distribution services. The

Cospas-Sarsat program (Figure 3-DOC-4)

consists of Russia, the United States,

France, and Canada providing the

space segment and 29 other countries

providing ground systems to relay distress alerts and participate in the management of the program. NESDIS

operates and maintains the United

States SARSAT Mission Control

Center and fourteen Local User

Terminals as ground stations.

The Local User Terminals receive

121.5/243/406 MHz emergency beacon signals directly from the satellites

and process the information to provide

the location of distress transmissions.

In 2000, Cospas-Sarsat decided to terminate satellite processing of

121.5/243 MHz signals beginning

February 1, 2009. This decision was

made in response to guidance from the

International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Maritime

Organization. These two specialized

agencies of the United Nations are

respectively responsible for international aviation and maritime search

and rescue standards. The use of new

emergency beacons that can use the

Global Positioning System (GPS) to

provide an accurate position continues

to increase. Seven of the last fourteen

406 MHz beacon models approved are

able to use GPS to transmit their position.

National Ice Center. The United

States National Ice Center (NIC),

under sponsorship of the United States

Navy, NOAA, and the United States

Coast Guard (USCG), is tasked with

providing the highest quality operational global, regional, and tactical

scale sea ice analyses and forecasts,

tailored to meet the requirements of

United States national interests. NIC

ice products are produced in a digital

workstation environment using data

from polar orbiting satellites,

ship/shore station reports, drifting

buoys, meteorological guidance products, ice model predictions, and government partners including foreign ice

services. The primary remotely sensed

data sources used for global and

regional-scale ice mapping are visible

and infrared imagery from the POES

Advanced Very High Resolution

Radiometer (1.1km spatial resolution)

and the DMSP Operational Linescan

System (0.55km spatial resolution). In

areas of extensive cloud cover, the NIC

utilizes Special Sensor Microwave

Imager (SSM/I) sensor data (19 and 37

GHz channels) processed using the

CAL/VAL and NASA Team ice concentration algorithms. These algorithms produce 25km griddled mosaic

ice maps that are instrumental in the

production of NIC weekly composite

Arctic/Antarctic ice maps. Higher resolution ice analysis products, used to

ensure the safety of navigation and

protect life and property at sea, are

dependent upon the availability and

use of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)

data from the Canadian RADARSAT.

RADARSAT's ScanSAR wide mode

produces a 500km wide swath with

100m spatial resolution. Images are

Figure 3-DOC-4. COSPAS-SARSAT System Overview
42 DOC SECTION 3 

processed at four different ground stations and transferred to the NIC via

dedicated communication lines or via

the Internet within six hours of acquisition. The NIC Science team, which

assists in the transition of pertinent scientific research to operations, is

presently working on the transition of

real-time SSMI sea ice products to the

NIC operations floor, conducting an

evaluation of current SSM/I-derived

sea ice algorithms, and the use of

SSM/I data for initializing and evaluating the Polar Ice Prediction System

(PIPS).

Routine NIC ice guidance products

include regional-scale ice maps, annotated satellite imagery, short and longterm ice forecasts, and legacy ice information and ice climatology.

Specialized support services include

specific regional support, ship route

recommendations, pre-sail ship briefings, aerial ice reconnaissance, and

ship rider support. Specific sea ice features analyzed include ice edge position, ice concentration, ice thickness,

form or floe size, ice motion, areas of

compression and heavy surface deformation, and the location/orientation of

open water or thin ice-covered leads.

Ice products are disseminated via the

Internet (www.natice.noaa.gov) as

simple electronic charts in Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG format),

GIS-compatible coverages (ESRI

ARC/INFO .e00 export format), and in

the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) digital standard for Sea Ice

in GRIDDED (SIGRID, SIGRID-2)

format. Date and time of data acquisition as well as the percentage of each

data type used in all ice analyses are

documented in a metadata narrative.

Another of the NIC's responsibilities

is oversight of the United States

Interagency Arctic Buoy Program

(USIABP). The USIABP was established in 1992 to provide the management structure and coordination necessary to maintain a baseline network of

drifting buoys. Buoys within the array

provide sufficient spatial resolution to

define surface synoptic scale atmospheric pressure, air temperature, and

sea-ice drift fields. Data are used in

real-time for operational weather and

ice forecasting and for research in the

Global Climate Change Program. The

USIABP is a collaborative program

that draws operating funds and services from the collective contributions of

seven government agencies and/or programs. These organizations include:

the Naval Oceanographic Office,

Office of Naval Research (ONR),

NASA, National Science Foundation

(NSF), and NOAA's NESDIS, OAR,

and Office of Global Programs (OGP).

Office of Research and Applications. 

The Office of Research and

Applications (ORA) provides guidance and direction for NESDIS

research and applications activities. It

coordinates the efforts of the Climate

Research and Applications Division,

Atmospheric Research and Applications Division, and Oceanic Research

and Applications Division. These divisions conduct studies on the use of

satellite data to monitor environmental

characteristics and change and develop

algorithms to produce satellite products for applications to operational

weather and ocean analyses and prediction. Further, ORA participates in

the development of new spacecraft and

sensors for future systems. It also carries out a vigorous program to calibrate

and validate satellite data to ensure its

quality for long-term studies.

Additionally, ORA through division

participation, actively educates others

on technology transfer programs

through scientific presentations, technical reports, Internet-based tutorials,

and training workshops at domestic

and international sites.

The Joint Center for Satellite Data

Assimilation (JCSDA). The JCSDA is

formalized by a Memorandum of

Agreement between NOAA and

NASA, with affiliated partnerships

with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force.

This cooperative agreement will allow

NOAA, NASA, and DoD to work

together to take advantage of their

combined science and technology

resources in order to accelerate the use

of existing and new satellite data. The

JCSDA will provide a focal point for

joint research and development of

common models and infrastructure

among its partners. As a result of its

collaborative nature, the JCSDA will

allow NOAA to improve numerical

weather and climate prediction through

the optimal use of data from existing

satellites and to prepare for the incoming flood of new data from advanced

satellite instruments such as NPOESS

that will be launched during the next

five to six years. The JCSDA is tasked

with developing new and powerful

techniques to assimilate data into

numerical weather prediction (NWP)

and numerical climate prediction models. JCSDA activities directly support

the missions of NASA, NOAA, and as

DoD as well as those of other organizations who share or rely on NOAA's

environmental assessment, prediction,

and stewardship mission. In addition,

through its partnership and coordination with DoD and other agencies, the

JCSDA will enhance the Nation's ability to respond to increased data reporting and data sharing needs brought on

by the renewed emphasis on homeland

defense and national security concerns. 

The initial projects within the

JCSDA will focus on fully exploiting

uses of current satellite data. As a part

of efforts to facilitate the transition

from research into operations, early

projects will focus on maturing the

process of transitioning these data into

operations and developing tools to support future assimilation projects. Five

initial scientific priorities have been

identified:

1. Develop a community-based

radiative transfer model (CRTM) to be

utilized by the JCSDA partners in their

data assimilation systems. In next few

years, the accuracy and capability of
SECTION 3 DOC 43

the JCSDA CRTM will be significantly improved by including additional

physical processes (e.g., atmospheric

scattering) and better numerical techniques and better surface emissivity

models to allow more satellite data

which is affected by surface to be properly assimilated.

2. Develop the data thinning and

configuration technology and methodology that will allow faster and efficient delivery of advanced satellite

data to major NWP centers in the U.S.

and other international partners.

3. Advance the techniques to

assimilate satellite data in cloudy and

precipitation regions by improving

radiative transfer models and NWP

cloud prediction scheme, thereby significantly increasing the fraction of

satellite data being ingested into the

assimilation systems.

4. Improve uses of satellite land

products (e.g., green vegetation fraction, snow cover, snow pack parameters, surface albedo, land, and sea surface temperature) in NWP models.

5. Improve use of satellite data in

ocean data assimilation by providing

assimilated ocean data sets to the community for research purposes and providing access to and support of an

operational ocean data assimilation

system.

In addition, the JCSDAhas a long term

strategic goal of improving the transfer

of data assimilation research into operations by fostering common data assimilation code components, including techniques for specifying observation errors,

background error co-variances, and data

selection and reduction.

The JCSDAapproach is already generating measurable accomplishments.

Recent accomplishments include: 

1. Improved radiative transfer techniques.

 Microwave land emissivity model

implemented in NCEP operational

global data assimilation system

(GDAS).

 Community fast radiative transfer

model implemented operationally

in the GDAS.

 More AMSU-A data are used over

land.

2. Improved uses of current satellite data.

 More AMSU-A data are used over

land.

 Increased use of HIRS, AMSU-A

data in stratosphere.

 SSM/I, TRMM precipitation products AMSU cloud liquid water

GOES-10 IR radiances QuikSCAT

winds.

3. More satellite data being used in

NCEP operational models.

 SSM/I, TRMM precipitation products.

 AMSU cloud liquid water.

 GOES-10 IR radiances.

 QuikSCAT winds.

Polar-Orbiting Systems. The primary mission of the Polar-orbiting

Operational Environmental Satellite

(POES) System is to provide daily

global observations of weather patterns

and environmental measurements of

the Earth's atmosphere, its surface and

cloud cover, and the proton and electron flux at satellite altitude. Since the

beginning of the POES program, environmental data and products acquired

by its satellites have been provided to

users around the globe. These satellites increase the accuracy of weather

forecasting by providing quantitative

data required for improved numerical

weather forecast models. Currently,

the two primary operational spacecraft

are NOAA-16 and NOAA-17.

NOAA polar satellites carry instruments to provide atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles. They also

provide multi-channel images and

carry a data collection and platform

location system, and a Search and

Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking

(SARSAT) subsystem. The SARSAT

subsystem is used to detect and locate

distress alerts from maritime, aviation,

and land-based users of emergency

beacons operating at 121.5 or 243 or

406 MHz. In addition to taking thermal images of the earth's surface and

atmosphere, the NOAA polar-orbiting

satellites carry sounder instruments to

provide vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and moisture.

POES satellites carry four primary

instrument systems: the Advanced

Very High Resolution Radiometer

(AVHRR); and the TIROS Operational

Vertical Sounder (TOVS); the Space

Environment Monitor (SEM); and the

Solar Backscatter Ultra-Violet

Instrument (SBUV/2). The AVHRR

provides data for real-time transmission to both Automatic Picture

Transmission (APT) and High

Resolution Picture Transmission

(HRPT) users and for storage on the

spacecraft tape recorders for later playback. The AVHRR/3 series of instruments, which began with NOAA-15,

measures in six spectral channels

(0.63, 0.86, 1.6, 3.75, 10.8 and 12 μm)

with a nominal spatial resolution of

1.1 km and global resolution of roughly 4 km. Though the AVHRR/3 measures 6 channels, only 5 are transmitted

in the data stream. The AVHRR/3 provides stored and direct-readout

radiometer data for day and night

cloud cover, sea surface temperatures,

vegetation indices, and snow and ice

mapping. TOVS is comprised of the

High-resolution Infrared Radiometer

Sounder (HIRS) and the Advanced

Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU).

The HIRS/3 is a discrete-stepping,

linescan instrument designed to measure scene radiance in 20 spectral bands

to permit the calculation of the vertical

temperature profile from Earth's surface to about 40km. Multi-spectral

data from one visible channel

(0.69μm), seven shortwave channels

(3.7 to 4.6μm), and twelve long wave

channels (6.5 to 15μm) are obtained

from a single telescope and rotating filter wheel containing twenty individual

filters. An elliptical scan mirror provides cross-track scanning of 56 increments of 1.8μm. The mirror steps rapidly (<35 msec), then holds at each
44 DOC SECTION 3 

position while the 20 filter segments

are sampled. This action takes place

each 100 msec. The instantaneous

field of vision (FOV) for each channel

is approximately 1.4μm in the visible

and shortwave IR, and 1.3μm in the

long wave IR band that, from an altitude of 833km, encompasses an area of

20.3km and 18.9km in diameter,

respectively, at nadir on the Earth.

Each AMSU-A instrument is composed of two separate units:

(a) AMSU-A2 with two channels at

23.8 and 31.4GHz and (b) AMSU-A1

with twelve channels in the range of

50.3 to 57.3GHz and one channel at

89.0GHz. The AMSU-B has five

channels with frequencies centered on

89, 150, 183±1, 183±3, and 183±7Ghz,

respectively. AMSU-B, provided by

the United Kingdom Meteorological

Office, produces soundings of humidity from the surface to 200 millibars

(mb). AMSU-A has a nominal FOV of

3.3° (48km on surface at nadir) and

AMSU-B a field of view of 1.1° (16km

on surface at nadir). AMSU-A

(AMSU-B) samples 30° (90°) Earth

views, covering ±48.95° from the subsatellite point. In addition, the specialized 89GHz channel, with the capability to "see" through high and mid-level

clouds to low level precipitation producing clouds, is utilized to determine

the position and structure of tropical

cyclones on a global scale. The

AMSU-A1 uses two antenna systems,

providing observations in the twelve

oxygen band channels (3-14) for

retrieving the atmospheric temperature

profile from the Earth's surface to

about 42km, or from 1000 to 2 mb.

The remaining three channels (1 and 2

from A2 and 15 from A1) aid the

retrieval of temperature soundings by

correction of surface emissivity,

atmospheric liquid water, and total precipitable water. These window channels also provide information on precipitation, sea ice, and snow coverage.

The SEM measures solar proton

flux, alpha particle and electron flux

density, and energy spectrum and total

particulate energy distribution at

spacecraft altitudes. The two sensors

included within this instrument are the

Total Energy Detector (TED) and the

Medium Energy Proton and Electron

Detector (MEPED), in addition to a

common data processing unit. This

instrument augments the measurements made by NOAA's geostationary

satellites.

The NOAA-16 carries the SBUV/2.

The SBUV/2 instrument is a non-scanning (fixed nadir viewing) spectrometer designed to measure scene radiance

and solar spectral irradiance from

160 nanometers to 400 nanometers.

Data obtained from the instrument are

used to compute the amount and vertical distribution of ozone in the Earth's

atmosphere on the sunlit side of the

Earth. Ozone evaluation, calibration,

and validation activities took place for

the new Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet

Instrument (SBUV/2) with the launch

and successful checkout of NOAA-17.

A new ozone profile retrieval algorithm (Version 8) is under development

at NASA. As soon as it becomes available, NOAA will begin to incorporate

it in its SBUV/2 processing systems.

Monitoring of global ozone will continue with the SBUV/2 instruments on

NOAA-14, NOAA-16, NOAA-17, and

with the TOVS instruments on

NOAA-14, NOAA-15, NOAA-16, and

NOAA-17. Experimental ozone products at high temporal resolution are

also being produced from the GOES-8

sounder channels. Monitoring is limited to North America. Preliminary

results show the GOES total ozone values are comparable to amounts from

the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer and ground-based measurements.

The ground system required to

receive large volumes of digital data

from NOAA satellites consists of two

major subsystems: the Polar

Acquisition and Control Subsystem

(PACS) and the Central Environmental

Satellite Computer System (CEMSCS). The PACS includes the

Wallops, Virginia, and Fairbanks,

Alaska, CDA stations and the SOCC at

Suitland, Maryland. All the CEMSCS

components are in the NOAA facility

at Suitland. PACS is used to command

and control the spacecraft, monitor its

health via housekeeping telemetry, and

retrieve and transmit the spacecraft

environmental data to the CEMSCS

processing and data handling facility.

The delivery of NOAA system data

from the CDA's to Suitland is accomplished by using the General Electric

American Communications, Inc. commercial satellite communications network. This system, which includes

Earth stations at Suitland, Wallops, and

Fairbanks, delivers the data to SOCC.

These data are immediately passed to

the CEMSCS for processing. The

CEMSCS ingests the raw satellite data

and pre-processes and stores them

along with appended auxiliary information, such as Earth location, calibration, and quality control parameters.

The data processed by the CEMSCS

are used for environmental products

and operational weather predictions

that are disseminated to users throughout the world.

The POES Data Collection (and

location) System (DCS) is provided

through an international cooperative

agreement with the Centre National

d'Etudes Spatiales of France and is

called the Argos DCS. The system

provides a means to locate and collect

environmental data from fixed and

moving platforms; i.e., polar ice flows,

ocean buoys, birds, mammals, etc in

near-real time. The Argos DCS supports operational and research related

environmental applications, e.g. meteorology, oceanography, and protection

of the environment, with the majority

of users being government/non-profit

agencies and researchers. An instrument upgrade to incorporate a downlink message capability, called the

Argos Advanced Data Collection
SECTION 3 DOC 45

TABLE 3.1 PROJECTED SATELLITE LAUNCH SCHEDULE

POLAR-ORBITING SYSTEM GEOSTATIONARY SYSTEM

Satellite Designator Planned Launch Date* Satellite Designator Planned Launch Date*

NOAA-N CY 2004 GOES N CY 2004

METOP-1 CY 2005 GOES O CY 2007

NOAA-N' CY 2008** GOES P CY 2008

NPOESS-3 CY 2009 GOES Q CY 2010

METOP-2 CY 2010 GOES R CY 2012

METOP-3 CY 2012

*Launch date depends on performance of prior spacecraft and is subject to change.

** A replan effort is underway due to accidental damage to N.

NOAA Instruments for NOAA Polar-Orbiter and METOP Series

AVHRR - Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer

SEM - Space Environment Monitor

SBUV - Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument (NOAA PM mission only)

HIRS - High Resolution Infrared Sounder

DCS ARGOS - Data Collection System

AMSU-A - Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A

AMSU-B - Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-B

SARP - Search and Rescue Processor

SARR - Search and Rescue Repeater

MHS - Microwave Humidity Sounder (NOAA-N/N' and METOP) 

Instruments for NPOESS Series

VIIRS - Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite

CMIS - Conical Microwave Imager/Sounder

CrIS - Cross-track Infrared Sounder

ATMS - Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder

OMPS - Ozone Mapper/Profiler Suite

SES - Space Environment Suite

DCS - Data Collection System

SARSAT - Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System

ERBS - Earth Radiation Budget Sensor

TSIS - Total Solar Irradiance Sensor

ALT - Altimeter (Dual Frequency radar altimeter)

Instruments for GOES-Next Series

Imager 

Sounder

SEM - Space Environment Monitor

SXI - Solar X-Ray Imager (GOES M and N)

EUMETSAT Unique Instruments for METOP Series Satellites

ASCAT - Advanced Scatterometer

GOME - Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment

GRAS - GPS Receiver for Atmospheric Sounding

IASI - Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer
46 DOC SECTION 3 

System (ADCS), is planned for the

NOAA-N' satellite and the NPOESS

constellation. The Argos ADCS program will also incorporate other international satellite programs, such as the

National Space Development Agency

of Japan (NASDA) ADEOS II satellite

and the European Organization for

Exploration of Meteorological

Satellites (EUMETSAT) METOP

satellite series.

Geostationary Satellite Program.

Two operational geostationary satellites, GOES-17 (75° W) and GOES-10

(135° W), provide coverage of virtually the entire western hemisphere for

operational environmental services.

Additionally, GOES-9 is now located

over the western Pacific. The GOES-9

imager replaced the GMS as of

April 1, 2003. The sounder is operating

in an experimental mode. The projected launch schedule and associated

instruments for geostationary satellites

are shown in Table 3.1.

The GOES satellites host an imager

capable of detecting atmospheric, sea

surface, and land properties in five

spectral bands including the 3.9μm and

12.0μm wavelengths. However,

beginning with GOES-12, the 12.0μm

channel is replaced with a 13.3μm

channel, with the goal of achieving

more accurate cloud height assignments for mid- and upper-level atmospheric wind-velocity estimates. Also,

the spatial resolution of the water

vapor channel will improve to 4km

from 8km.

GOES satellites transmit all five

spectral bands simultaneously, providing the user community with continuous views of atmospheric measurements in various wavelengths, each

with its own meteorological surface,

and hydrological application. GOES

spacecraft were designed for flexible

scanning of the Earth; a variety of

scans or sector coverage can be scheduled. For example, the full-earth disk

is normally scanned once every

3 hours and requires about 30 minutes

to complete the entire scan.

Depending on requirements to monitor

environmental hazards on the Earth's

surface or in the atmosphere,

30-minute periods in between the fulldisk scans may be scheduled as a mixture of 15-minute intervals (routine

operations) or 71⁄2-minute interval

(severe storm operations) rapid scans

over the contiguous United States. To

further support mesoscale and

microscale analyses, 1000 km x

1000 km areas can also be scanned at

1-minute intervals, to capture rapidly

developing and dynamic environmental phenomena. The five channels and

respective resolutions are as follows:

 Channel 1 (Visible, .55μm to

.75μm) - 1 km

 Channel 2 (Infrared, 3.8μm to

4.0μm) - 4 km

 Channel 3 (Water Vapor, 6.5μm to

7.0μm) - 8 km (4 km starting with

GOES-12)

 Channel 4 (Infrared, 10.2μm to

11.2μm) - 4 km

 Channel 5 (Infrared, 11.5μm to

12.5μm)- 4km(13.3μm at 8km

starting with GOES-12)

The GOES-10 and GOES-12

sounder instruments, consisting of

19 spectral channels, are used for

measurements of atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles, surface

and cloud top temperatures, and total

ozone distribution. Products derived

from the sounder include precipitable

water and lifted index - a measurement

of atmospheric stability. Comparable

to the imager, the sounder is capable of

providing various scan coverages, such

as full-Earth imagery, sectorized

imagery, and local imagery. In routine

operations, GOES-12 and GOES-10

provide hourly sounding coverage.

The GOES Space Environment

Monitor (SEM) collects data for warnings of solar activity. This block of

instruments is more extensive than on

POES. The GOES SEM instruments

include X-ray monitors that detect

solar flares, energetic particle sensors,

and three-component vector magnetometers to measure changes in the

ambient magnetic field. Real-time

SEM data are used to support operational NOAA and DoD space environment forecasts and alerts. Data from

GOES SEM sensors are archived by

the National Geophysical Data Center

and provided to retrospective users online via Internet and on a variety of

computer media.

GOES also carries a Data Collection

System (DCS), which is used to collect

and relay environmental data observed

by a variety of remotely located platforms, such as river and tide gauges,

seismometers, buoys, ships, and automatic weather stations. In support of

NOAA missions, GOES DCS data are

used in weather forecasts and warnings, reservoir control, and flood monitoring. While the GOES DCS is a

critical element for national and international meteorological and hydrological programs, the NWS NEXRAD program relies on the DCS data as a vital

input for calibration and validation.

Tsunami watches and warnings for the

Pacific Ocean are prepared using the

Data Collection Platform data transmitted via GOES DCS. The GOES

DCS program touches many aspects of

our lives in supporting water quality,

air pollution, and global environmental

monitoring.

The GOES Search and Rescue

Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT)

System is capable of providing an

immediate distress alert, unlike the

POES satellite SARSAT instruments

which must come within line of site of

a Local User Terminal, in order to

relay the distress beacon back to the

United States SARSAT Mission

Control Center (USMCC). Newer

state-of-the art Cospas-Sarsat

406 MHz emergency beacons, utilizing the Global Positioning System

(GPS), now have the capability to provide location information in the distress message relayed by GOES to the

USMCC.
SECTION 3 DOC 47

NESDIS continues to improve user

access to its operational satellite products and services using new communications technologies including the

Internet. One important on-line access

system, managed and operated by

OSDPD and NOAA's National

Climatic Data Center (NCDC), is the

NOAA Operational Satellite Active

Archive (SAA). The SAA

(www.saa.noaa.gov) provides satellite

data access, display, and electronic

transfer. Available data types include

AVHRR, ATOVS, DMSP (special sensor), and RADARSAT (authorized

subscription users). Near-real-time

images and interpretive analyses of

tropical storms and hurricanes worldwide, ash from volcanic eruptions

within the western hemisphere, heavy

precipitation in the United States

which cause flash flooding or blizzards, wild land fires and smoke within the United States, and northern

hemisphere snow boundaries are located at www.ssd.noaa.gov. Specially

enhan-ced and annotated imagery and

image loops of environmental events,

such as flooding, hurricanes and other

severe storms, volcanic eruptions,

fires, and dust storms are available

from www.osei.noaa.gov. This web

site was set up for use by the news

media and general public, and to provide once or twice per day satellite

views of an environmental event for

federal, state, and international governments and agencies. Also supporting

the media, scientific organizations, and

federal and state agencies is a specially designed web site featuring visualizations of satellite data, found at

www.nnvl.noaa.gov/.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT

FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Following the UNISPACE III conference held in Vienna, Austria in July

1999, the European and French space

agencies (ESA and CNES) initiated the

International Charter "Space and

Major Disasters", with the Canadian

Space Agency (CSA) signing the

Charter in 2000. In 2001, the NOAA

(NOAA) and the Indian Space

Research Organization (ISRO) also

became members of the Charter, and in

2003 the Argentine Space Agency

(CONAE) became a member.

The International Charter aims at

providing a unified system of space

data acquisition and delivery to those

affected by natural or man-made disasters through authorized users. Each

member agency has committed

resources to support the provisions of

the Charter and thus is helping to mitigate the effects of disasters on human

life and property.

The International Charter was

declared formally operational on

November 1, 2000. An authorized user

can call a single number to request the

mobilization of the space and associated ground resources of the six agencies

to obtain data and information on a disaster occurrence.

The call is received by a 24-hour onduty operator who then checks the

identity of the requester and verifies

that the User Request form sent by the

Authorized User is correctly filed. The

operator passes the information to an

emergency on-call officer who analyzes the request and the scope of the

disaster with the User, and prepares an

archive and acquisition plan using

available space resources. Data acquisition and delivery takes place on an

emergency basis, and a project manager, who is qualified in data ordering,

handling and application, assists the

user throughout the process.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Recent advances in numerical

weather prediction (NWP) models,

both at NOAA's NCEP/EMC and other

major International NWP Centers,

require higher quality satellite derived

winds, particularly over the traditionally data void oceanic regions of the

globe. The NESDIS GOES East and

West wind processing suites are totally

automated and use a series of geostationary satellite images to derive wind

estimates. The automated winds algorithm uses an objective pattern matching technique to estimate velocity, and

satellite water vapor and infrared

brightness temperature data to assign

heights to these derived wind estimates. The automated quality control

of image registration is also an important component of the NESDIS GOESEast and West winds processing suite.

Approximately 20,000 cloud-drift and

water vapor motion wind vectors are

derived from both satellites for each

cycle and distributed to EMC and to

the Global Telecommunications

System (GTS). EMC uses these operational NESDIS wind products in their

global and regional data assimilation/numerical forecast systems.

NESDIS recently completed the effort

to reformat the winds in WMO-sanctioned BUFR format. Current work

involves the investigation of a slow

bias seen in water vapor winds.

The newest satellite wind products

include the low-level high density visible satellite winds. During the daylight hours, visible channel data can be

used to track cloud motions. The

GOES visible imagery offers high horizontal resolution (1 km) and frequent

image sampling (15-30 minutes nominally; higher in special rapid scan

modes). The visible channel can

depict lower-tropospheric cumuliform

tracers in areas not covered by opaque

cirrus. In terms of tropical cyclones,

visible winds can depict the low level

flow in the outer storm vortex region,

which is an important area in assessing

storm motion. The GOES satellites

have an atmospheric sounder that

includes two water vapor channels

centered at 7.0μm and 7.3μm. These

sounder channels can be employed as

surrogate imagers to track water vapor

features radiating from the lower layers of the troposphere. The weighting

function of the 7.0μm channel peaks
48 DOC SECTION 3 

around 450mb and the weighting function of the 7.3μm channel peaks

around 550mb. Water vapor winds

generated from these two channels will

compliment the imager-based clouddrift and water vapor winds, resulting

in an improved three-dimensional

depiction of the wind field. The implementation of these new algorithms and

the visible wind products into the operational environment at NESDIS began

in 1999. These wind products can be

viewed at orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/

goes and cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/tropic/

real-time. Digital sounding and winds

files are available through a GOES

computer server within OSDPD.

Atmospheric Moisture and Stability

Products. Research continues to

improve the atmospheric moisture and

stability products from the GOES-12

and GOES-10 sounder instruments.

Precipitable water for three layers of

the atmosphere: surface to 900 hPa;

900-700 hPa; and 700-300 hPa are

computed from the soundings. Total

precipitable water (TPW) for the entire

atmospheric column, from the earth's

surface to the "top" of the atmosphere,

is also computed. These precipitable

water products are particularly valuable for the short-term forecasting of

precipitation, locating those environments favorable for heavy precipitation and flash floods, thunderstorms,

and fog. Hourly updates of this information provide useful information for

the EMC regional data assimilation

systems and for weather forecasters in

the field. EMC currently uses the

GOES precipitable water retrievals as

input to Eta Data Assimilation System

(EDAS), which provides the initialization for the Eta, forecast model.

NESDIS is currently aiding EMC with

running global and regional model

impact analyses to improve and optimize the use of the GOES derived

products in numerical weather prediction schemes. As of July 8, 2003, the

hourly cloud-top information from the

GOES sounder data are being assimilated into the operational National

Centers for Environmental Prediction

(NCEP) Eta Data Assimilation System

(EDAS). The regional Eta model joins

the Rapid Update Cycle (RUC) model

as two operational models assimilating

GOES sounder cloud information to

help improve the initial moisture and

cloud field. At present, a blended

GOES, SSM/I, and model-derived

product is being evaluated. In addition, a precipitable water product has

been developed from the POES AMSU

sensor and is presently operational. In

the near future, the blended product

will include the AMSU-derived precipitable water. In addition to the moisture products, numerous atmospheric

stability indices can be computed from

measurements made by the GOES

sounder instrument. Two stability

indices, the lifted index (LI) and CAPE

index, are computed on a routine basis.

Since these indices are produced

hourly, sequential images of these

derived quantities clearly show the

diurnal and dynamic changes associated with weather events.

So, in addition to providing these

data to EMC for use in numerical

weather prediction models, the graphical representation of these products

allows for the looping of the products

in time. This capability aids NWS

forecasters in the field, for example, to

understand the time evolution of

severe storms. Because channel noise

has improved with each successive

sounder instrument it is anticipated

that the GOES sounder moisture and

stability products with a horizontal resolution of approximately 50 km, will

be generated at a high horizontal resolution of approximately 10 km in the

fall of 2003 (Figure 3-DOC-5).

The increased horizontal resolution

offers exciting possibilities for

enhanced use of these products in

mesoscale forecasting. For example, it

improves the depiction of gradients in

the retrieved products, such as moisture and atmospheric stability, which

focuses attention to a localized area of

interest. These products can be viewed

at orbit-net.nesdis.noaa. gov/goes and

cimss.ssec.wisc.edu. Digital versions

of these products are available from

POES and GOES computer servers

within OSDPD.

Tropical Cyclone Monitoring.

NESDIS continues to improve upon

satellite-based techniques for estimating tropical cyclone positions and

intensities, and for describing the internal structure of these storms. Recent

sensors, such as AMSU and TRMM,

among others, are being incorporated

into the NESDIS operational tropical

program, which supports the NWS and

DoD hurricane programs. Real-time

imagery and NESDIS tropical text

messages can be viewed at www.ssd.

noaa.gov/SSD/ML/realtime.html.

Research is also being performed to

improve the forecasts of tropical

cyclone formation and intensity

change by making better use of satellite observations.

Precipitation Estimates. The HydroEstimator (H-E)--a fully automated

adaptation of the semi-manual

Interactive Flash Flood Analyzer

(IFFA)--produces estimates of instantaneous precipitation rate based on

GOES infrared data every 15 minutes.

The H-E adjusts its computed rain

rates for moisture availability, subcloud evaporation, orographic uplift,

and other factors using Eta model

fields. The resulting estimates are also

the basis for 0-3 hour nowcasts of precipitation via an algorithm for extrapolating cell movement and development

called the Hydro-Nowcaster. Other

techniques being tested include the

GOES Multi-Spectral Rainfall

Algorithm (GMSRA), which uses four

of the five GOES Imager channels for

more precise rain area identification,

and a combined GOES and microwave

rainfall algorithm (developed at

NRL/Monterey) which uses

microwave-based rainfall estimates to

modify its calibration. Real-time
SECTION 3 DOC 49

graphics from all three of the above

techniques can be accessed at

http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/

arad/ht/ff/index.htm, and real-time validation statistics for these algorithms

are available at http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/arad/ht/ff/validation/validation.html. The H-E is now also

available to NWS field forecasters via

AWIPS. In addition, an improved

AMSU-B rain rate algorithm is being

implemented, and a new precipitation

algorithm has been developed using

the AMSR-E is under development.

The AMSU-B products are available at

http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/

arad2/MSPPS/index.html, including

global long-term estimates for climate

monitoring and analysis. Finally, the

POES-based microwave algorithms

from the microwave sensors are being

utilized to produce automated 24-hour

Tropical Rainfall Potential (TRaP)

forecasts worldwide (Figure 3-DOC-6).

Real-time TraP graphics can be

accessed at http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/

PS/TROP/trap-img.html.

Microburst Products. Several experimental microburst and convective

wind gust products are being tested.

These products, including the Wind

Index (WINDEX) to compute maximum possible convective wind gusts

and the Theta-e Deficit (TeD) and Dry

Microburst Index (DMI) to compute

the potential for wet and dry

microbursts, respectively, utilize

sounder data from both GOESEast/West. They are produced hourly

and can be viewed at www.orbitnet.nesdis.noaa.gov/arad/fpdt/mb.html

In addition, a new wet microburst

index product, designated as the Wet

Microburst Severity Index (WMSI) is

being developed and will be implemented in the suite of GOES

microburst products. The WMSI

assesses the potential severity of wet

microbursts by summarizing the physical processes of convective storm

development and downburst generation. The WMSI algorithm incorporates such parameters as convective

available potential energy (CAPE), to

represent the process of updraft formation, and Theta-e Deficit (TeD)

(Figure 3-DOC-7), to represent down

burst development.

Low Cloud and Aircraft Icing

Products. Fog and low clouds are a

major source of air traffic delays and

aircraft accidents. A nighttime, twochannel IR product from GOES has

been developed to show regions where

low ceilings (<1,000 ft) are likely to be

found. This product is used to signal

deteriorating weather conditions

before they are reported by airport

weather stations. Fog products for the

Continental United States and Alaska

are available on the Web hourly at:

http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/

arad/fpdt/fog.html .

Areas of "super-cooled" water

clouds that can result in hazardous aircraft icing are detectable from GOES

by means of an experimental, multispectral product that uses a combination of several IR temperature and visible brightness thresholds. A recent

innovation has combined this icing

image with the GOES cloud-top height

analysis to create an ICing Enhanced

Cloud-top Altitude Product (ICECAP)

(Figure 3-DOC-8). The icing products

are provided hourly day and night for

the Continental United States, Alaska,

and the East Pacific at http://orbit-net.

nesdis.noaa.gov/arad/fpdt/icg.html.

Geostationary Sea Surface

Temperatures. GOES-12 and

GOES-10 are proving capable of producing sea surface temperatures (SST)

over most of the Western Hemisphere

nearly continuously. The accuracy and

spatial resolution achieved with the

Figure 3-DOC-5. GOES-12 retrieved total preciptable water products at 50 km resolution (left) and 10 km

resolution (right)
50 DOC SECTION 3 

GOES measurements are close to that

achieved from the polar orbiting platforms, and GOES has a unique advantage of high temporal sampling frequency. For the SST determination,

the frequent sampling by GOES makes

a more complete map of SST possible

after clouds have moved on.

Additionally, a change in scene temperature over a short period of time

may indicate the presence of clouds,

thereby enhancing cloud detection.

The abundance of GOES observations helps to maintain a balance

between high-quality, cloud-free observations and good geographical coverage of SST estimates. For the first

time, GOES is enabling quantification

of the diurnal variation of a radiometrically determined SST over large areas

and long time periods. This quantification may have important implications

in both numerical weather prediction

and climate monitoring. NESDIS has

been producing the GOES SST hourly

in an experimental configuration since

December 1998 for both GOES-12 and

GOES-10. A global SST product is

produced every three hours; regional

SST products are generated every hour.

These products were recently implemented operationally and can be

accessed as digital files from the GOES

computer servers within OSDPD.

Volcanic Ash and Fire Monitoring.

A new technique has been developed

to compensate for the loss of a 12mm

IR band on GOES-12 to help track

hazardous volcanic ash clouds. The

technique uses IR channels centered at

10.7μm, 13.3μm, and 3.9μm. Several

recent eruptions of Soufriere Hills volcano on Montserrat in the eastern

Caribbean have shown that this new

product is helpful in monitoring ash

cloud emissions, even at night.

Figure 3-DOC-9 shows an area of volcanic ash (circled) from Soufriere Hills

observed by GOES-12 using the new

method. The experimental GOES-12

ash product can be viewed for several

volcanically active regions at:

http://orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/

arad/fpdt/volc.html. The analysis of

Moderate Resolution Imaging

Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data from

the NASA Terra and Aqua spacecraft

has also yielded valuable information

about optimum detection of volcanic

ash using several spectral bands. A

three-channel combination product

based on the 8.6mm, 11mm and 12mm

bands has been developed that provides effective discrimination of ash or

sulfur dioxide gas with minimal false

alarms. This algorithm could be

applied to future products from

NPOESS and GOES-R, which will

have similar spectral bands. Ash cloud

advisory statements are provided by

NESDIS to the aviation community

over southern North America and

northern South America, through the

Volcanic Ash Advisory Center

(VAAC) in Washington, District of

Columbia. GOES infrared and visible

images, aerosol and sulfur dioxide

products from NASA's Total Ozone

Mapping Spectrometer (when applicable), and operational volcanic ash

products for the Washington VAAC

area of responsibility are found at

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/VAAC/washington.html.

Fire and smoke monitoring algorithms are being developed to automatically detect fires and to monitor their

growth and the associated smoke coverage. The GOES-8 split window data

(at 4μm and 11μm) have been used to

assess trends in South American burning practices over the past 6 years

(1995-2000); GOES detected the most

fire pixels in the tropical rain forest

ecosystem in 1995. The application to

clear sky human-initiated burning in

South and Central America is now

being adapted to monitor cloudy sky

lightning and clear sky human-initiated

fires in the Canadian provinces and the

continental United States. The continual monitoring from GOES (as often as

every 71⁄2 minutes) can assist firefighters to plan evacuation and extinguishing activities. Studies with Brazil are

underway to predict smoke transport

and air pollution and health alerts for

major cities. An AVHRR fire detection

Figure 3-DOC-6. Tropical Rainfall Potential (TRaP) forecast for Hurricane Claudette (left) and corresponding Stage IV

radar/raingauge estimates (right) for the 24 hours ending 1200 UTC 16 July 2003.
SECTION 3 DOC 51

algorithm is being developed for use in

monitoring fire and smoke outbreaks

around the world. All these new techniques will be used to improve the current operational fire and smoke product (Figure 3-DOC-10) used by the

NWS Storm Prediction Center (SPC)

in their fire outlook product. Real time

imagery of GOES and POES imagery

in support of SPC can be found at:

http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/FIRE/fire

s-fl.html. A GOES Products and

Services Catalog is available on line at

www.orbit-net.nesdis.noaa.gov/

arad/fpdt/goescat/index.html. An upto-date list and description of operational and experimental products with

links to the real-time products are

available from this web page. The

Polar Products and Services Catalog is

under development.

NPOESS "test bed" data sets. ORA

scientists continue to play an important

role in the evaluation of proposed contractor sensor design and retrieval

methods during the ongoing selection

process for NPOESS. ORA scientists

have created a variety of "test bed"

data sets that are being used in the

algorithm evaluation process. This is

accomplished through participation in

operational algorithm teams with the

long-term goals of assuring capability

to meet the requirements of all

Environmental Data Records. Ozone

evaluation, calibration, and validation

activities took place for the new Solar

Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument

(SBUV/2) with the launch and successful checkout of NOAA-17. A new

ozone profile retrieval algorithm has

been developed by NASA and is now

incorporated into SBUV/2 processing

systems. Monitoring of global ozone

will continue with the SBUV/2 instruments on NOAA-14, NOAA-16 and

NOAA-17, and with the TOVS instruments on NOAA-14, NOAA-15,

NOAA-16, and NOAA-17. Experimental high temporal ozone products

are also being produced from the

GOES-12 sounder channels.

Monitoring is limited to North

America. Preliminary results show the

GOES values are comparable to

amounts from the Total Ozone

Mapping Spectrometer and groundbased measurements.

Land Surface Parameters for Use in

Weather Forecast Models. Satellitederived fields of land surface characteristics are being prepared for use in

NWP models. These include radiation

products delivered in near real-time as

forcing variables; surface characterisFigure 3-DOC-7. Example of GOES sounder-derived Theta-e Deficit (TeD) values plotted over a GOES visible satellite image from 2045 UTC July 30, 2002.

Note outflow boundary over southern Tennessee and high TeD values (>30K)

over northern Alabama. The outflow boundary triggered a thunderstorm that produced a downburst wind gust of 61 knots at Huntsville, Alabama.

Figure 3-DOC-8. Areas of potential aircraft icing observed by GOES Imager,

at 1800 UTC on November 12, 2002, are color-coded according to the estimated maximum cloud top height in 3,000 foot intervals, based on information

from the GOES Sounder.
52 DOC SECTION 3 

tics, such as fractional green vegetation and albedo, that specify model

lower boundary conditions; and validation quantities, such as surface temperature. These products are meant to

help the NWP models maintain better

soil moisture fields which in turn

results in better near surface temperature and humidity forecasts, and better

precipitation forecasts. These fields

now include POES-based (SSM/I and

AMSU) estimates of surface emissivity, snow cover, sea-ice extent and concentration, land surface skin temperature, and soil wetness. Development

of snow depth is underway. Forward

models for surface emissivity at various microwave frequencies have been

developed and are being tested in the

forecast models. Algorithms to determine clear sky ice surface temperatures have been developed and delivered to Atmospheric Environment

Service, Canada for evaluation. New

techniques such as automatic edge

detection and incorporation of new

sensors such as AMSU and NASA's

MODIS are in development to improve

operational production of daily snow

and ice extent products. These products are delivered as digital files to

NWP models and to the NWS Climate

Prediction Center and other users.

Graphical imagery of operational

northern hemispheric snow cover can

be found on the Internet at

www.ssd.noaa.gov/SSD/ML/realtime.html #SNOW.

Clouds from AVHRR. Algorithms

are being developed, tested, and validated for determining cloud optical

and microphysical properties from

imager data such as the AVHRR.

These algorithms are in addition to

those already developed which estimate amounts and types for each

observed cloud layer. The four cloud

types are: L - Liquid Water Clouds;

M - Mixed Phase Clouds; G -

Glaciated Clouds (opaque); and H -

High Ice Clouds (semi-transparent).

Know-ledge of cloud properties is

important for both climate-scale and

short-medium range forecasts.

Accordingly, algorithms and processing systems to estimate cloud properties from imager data are being

developed for both applications.

Assimilation of cloud properties into

NWP models is an objective of

NCEP for improving short-medium

range forecasts. Other applications

of this work include the validation of

simulated scenes to be used for the

evaluation of new algorithm and

instrument designs that is supported

by the IPO. In addition, new algorithms are being developed to produce optimal estimates of cloud

properties from both imager and

sounder data, such as the merge of

AVHRR and TOVS data.

Aerosols. Aerosol retrievals from

an improved and extended unique

Figure 3-DOC-9. Volcanic ash from an earlier eruption of Soufriere Hills

Volcano, Montserrat (circled) drifts westward across the Eastern Caribbean, as

seen by GOES-12 at 1200 UTC, July 15, 2003.

Figure 3-DOC-10. Example of the current operational fire and smoke product

used by the NWS Storm Prediction Center (SPC).
SECTION 3 DOC 53

PATMOS-BUOY Dataset were analyzed to optimize the procedure used in

the aerosol correction of sea surface

temperature (SST) retrievals. Based

on the results, a new aerosol correction

algorithm for SST has been developed

and delivered to OSDPD for the use

with NOAA-16 and 17 data. The new

correction algorithm uses aerosol optical depth in AVHRR/3 channel 2

(0.83 mm), only. The PATMOSBUOY match up data set was also used

for an extensive evaluation of the single-channel 3rd generation algorithm

for aerosol retrieval from AVHRR.

This aerosol algorithm has now been

implemented in the operational aerosol

observations (AEROBS) obtained

from the AVHRR instrument onboard

the NOAA 16 and 17 satellites. The

algorithm uses an improved treatment

of atmospheric and surface effects, and

provides aerosol optical depth data in

three channels at 0.63, 0.83 and 1.6 μm

(Figure 3-DOC-11). The single-channel 3rd generation algorithm has also

been implemented at NASA/LaRC in

the Clouds and Earth's Energy System

(CERES) SSF processing of aerosol

optical depth from the MODIS instruments on the Terra and Aqua satellites.

Aerosol data from this algorithm is

produced in addition to the primary

MODIS multi-channel retrievals. The

single-channel retrievals serve as backup for the primary product. They also

provide continuity with earlier

NOAA/AVHRR aerosol retrievals, and

facilitate the quantification of

improvements offered by multi-channel retrievals over single-channel ones.

A comparison of the two aerosol products shows an overall good agreement

on a global scale. This implies that the

simple single-channel algorithm performs well relative to the more sophisticated and comprehensive MODIS

multi-channel algorithm. The major

differences between the two products

appear to be related to the differences

in cloud screening and identification of

glint regions that lead to differences in

sampling. The lessons learned from

these and follow up comparisons will

be applied to improve the current operational algorithm, and in the risk

reduction of aerosol retrieval from

VIIRS on the NPOESS satellites. The

feasibility of aerosol optical depth

retrieval from GOES over most of

South and North America has also

been demonstrated. A comparison of

GOES-retrieved aerosol optical depth

with that observed at the AERONET

ground stations showed good agreement.

Long-term Monitoring of NOAA-15

Advanced Microwave Sounding UnitA (AMSU-A) Performance. Since the

launch of the NOAA-15 satellite, the

AMSU-A level 1B data have been captured from the CEMSCS and stored on

optical disks. These data are used for

off-line characterization of the instrument radiometric performance on

orbit. Over 20 important radiometric

parameters are extracted or calculated

from the AMSU-A 1B data. NESDIS

has already demonstrated that the noise

in the observations in all channels is

lower (better) than that required by the

specifications and, in some channels, it

is lower than estimates based on prelaunch test results. NOAA will continue compiling long-term trends of all

the parameters to provide a better

understanding of the instrument performance. The PC-based software

developed for evaluating these data

will be improved for better efficiency

in processing the data.

Calibration of the Visible and NearInfrared Channels of the AVHRR. The

AVHRR flown on POES is recognized

as an invaluable resource for satellitebased studies of the Earth system. The

long-term records of geophysical products such as the Normalized Difference

Vegetation Index (NDVI), columnar

aerosols over the oceans, cloud morphology, and short-wave radiation

budget play a central role in climate

Figure 3-DOC-11. Global distribution of aerosol optical depth over oceans

derived from AVHRR/3 channels 1 (0.63 μm), 2 (0.83 μm) and 3 (1.61 μm)

onboard (a) NOAA-16 and (b) NOAA-17 satellites. Each point on the map

represents an [8 day x (1°)2] average.
54 DOC SECTION 3 

and global change studies by providing

a means to study the environment continuously. It is thus very important to

characterize and document the in-orbit

performance of the AVHRR flown on

the polar orbiters. Toward this end, a

very comprehensive program of postlaunch calibration and characterization

of the AVHRR has been implemented

to ensure the accuracy, continuity, and

viability of the various AVHRRderived geophysical products, with

particular attention paid to the visible

(Channel 1: 0.58 - 0.68 μm), and nearinfrared (Channel 2: 0.72 - 1.1 μm;

Channel 3A: 1.58 - 1.64 μm) channels

which do not have any onboard calibration devices. The major program

elements are: (a) development of an

optimal vicarious post-launch calibration technique, utilizing radiometrically stable calibration sites, model simulations of the radiation measured by

the sensors, and simultaneous radiation

measurements by the AVHRR and by

calibrated spectrometers onboard aircraft; (b) enhancement of available

vicarious calibration techniques to

improve attainable radiometric calibration accuracies beyond ±5 percent; (c)

evaluation of the feasibility of using

the International Space Station (ISS) as

a platform to calibrate satellite sensors,

in general, using radiometers on the

ISS traceable to the National Institute

of Standards and Technology (NIST);

(d) establishment of the AVHRR as a

traveling calibration standard to monitor the performance of sensors, such as

the imager on the GOES, the visible

channel of the High-resolution Infrared

Radiation Sounder (HIRS), the

Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), and various sensors

to be flown on ENVISAT; and (e)

design of optimal onboard and vicarious calibration techniques for the visible and near-infrared sensors planned

under the National Polar-orbiting

Operational Environ-mental Satellite

System (NPOESS). The relevance and

importance of these activities has been

recognized by the national and international user community, as evidenced

by the appreciation and endorsement

of the Working Group on Calibration

and Validation (WGCV) and the

Global Observing Systems Space

Panel (GOSSP).

To ensure global access to the results

of the AVHRR calibration program,

and recognizing the importance of the

AVHRR-derived products to national

and international programs, such as the

International Satellite Cloud

Climatology Project (ISCCP), the

International Geosphere Biosphere

Programme (IGBP), the Global

Climate, Ocean, and Terrestrial

Observing Systems, and to benefit

from sensor calibration research elsewhere, active liaison, and collaboration

in some instances, has been established

with researchers in NASA, NIST,

EUMETSAT, China Meteorological

Administration, Beijing, China;

Rutherford Appleton Laboratory,

United Kingdom; National Space

Development Agency, Japan; the

NOAA/NASA Pathfinder Program;

several space agencies and remote

sensing laboratories outside the United

States, and academia both in the

United States and abroad.

Calibration of Geostationary

Operational Environmental Satellite

Instruments. The wavelength configuration of channels on the GOES-12

Imager will be slightly different from

that of its predecessors. A 13.3μm

channel will replace the current

12μm channel. The new channel will

employ a single detector with an 8-

km field-of-view at the Earth's surface. The water-vapor channel at

6.7μm, which on GOES 8 through 11

observe the Earth with a single 8-km

detector, will employ two 4-km

detectors on GOES-12. To accommodate these revisions, the calibration processing in the ground system

will be modified.

Pathfinder. Climate data sets of

cloud amount, aerosol optical thickness (AOT) over the oceans, and the

Earth's radiation budget for clear and

cloudy skies have been retrospectively generated from over 17 years of

AVHRR data as part of the NOAANASA Pathfinder program. An

improved data set spanning the period from July 1981 through the end of

1999 was completed in 2000. This

data set is being utilized to study the

relationship between the variation in

global mean values of the absorbed

solar radiation and variation in

aerosol amount caused by major volcanic eruptions. The influence of the

aerosol amount on variations in the

global surface temperature is also

under investigation. The analysis of

time series of anomalies of the cloud

radiative forcing has been shown to

correlate well (spatially and temporally) with El Niño events. A second

reprocessing of the entire data set is

being proposed, where multiple-layered cloud data will be used. Land

surface and ocean products such as

the vegetation index and the sea surface temperature will be added.

Ocean Surface Winds. Calibration

and validation studies are performed

for all new operational ocean surface

wind data streams. Product refinement and development activities are

currently underway to improve ocean

wind vector retrievals in the high

wind speed regime where current

retrieval algorithms underestimate

the wind speeds. There are several

satellite-based active and passive

microwave sensors planned for

launch in the near future from which

NOAA would have the opportunity

to obtain near real-time data streams.

One of these sensors will be the first

demonstration of the passive polarimetric technique, which is the technique that is being depended on for

NPOESS to meet the nation's ocean

surface wind vector requirements.

Storm Signatures and Winds from

Synthetic Aperture Radar. ORA scientists are currently studying ocean sur-
SECTION 3 DOC 55

face wind signatures of atmospheric

fronts and storms with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. By sensing

variations in ocean surface roughness

on the centimeter scale, SAR sensors

can image storms, atmospheric waves

(such as coastal lee waves), atmospheric fronts, and coastal wind shadowing. Techniques for calculating

wind speed (and under certain conditions direction as well) are also under

development. Before the year 2003,

four new wide-swath SAR satellites

are planned for launch. If data acquisition and sharing arrangements can be

made to obtain access to SAR imagery

from these new sources, frequent routine SAR coverage of United States

coastal areas will be possible.

Ocean Color. Several programs at

ORA are involved in satellite ocean

color research. The Marine Optical

Buoy (MOBY) Project develops,

deploys, and maintains the MOBY off

of the coast of Lanai, Hawaii, to measure visible and near-infrared radiation

entering and emanating from the

ocean. The resulting measurements

support the initialization and vicarious

calibration of international and national ocean color sensors, such as the

Ocean Color and Temperature Sensor,

the Sea-Viewing Wide-Field-of-View

Sensor, and the recently launched

Moderate Resolution Imaging

Spectroradio-meter. The Marine

Optical Characterization Experiment

(MOCE), MOBY's sister project,

involves the collection of in situ measurements of these and other parameters

relevant to ocean color in the surrounding region from ship. Data from

both sampling platforms furnish a

time-series of bio-optical measurements that is employed to track sensor

drift, define bio-optical relationships,

validate satellite-derived products, and

develop ocean color algorithms. In

addition to MOBY and MOCE, programs exist at ORA to routinely evaluate the accuracy of NESDIS operational ocean color products and to

develop algorithms in order to remotely detect and predict the presence of

noxious marine biota, such as harmful

algal blooms.

Coral Reef Watch: NOAA's Early

Warning System for Coral Reef

Health. Like the rest of the world,

most of the United States coral reef

systems are threatened due to pollution, over-fishing, and thermal

bleaching. This threat includes

almost all of Florida and Puerto Rico

reefs, nearly half of Hawaii's, and an

unknown but significant fraction of

United States Pacific Territories. The

widely distributed and isolated locations of many coral reefs preclude

normal monitoring practices. In

1998, NESDIS established an experimental capability using POES satellites to conduct thermal bleaching surveillance of coral reefs on a worldwide basis. This experiment demonstrated remarkably accurate capabilities for early warning of El Niñoinduced coral reef bleaching conditions over all global tropical ocean

regions resulting in a series of special

International Workshops on Satellite

Monitoring of Coral Reefs being convened in June 1999, January 2001,

and June 2003. In 2002 NESDIS successfully transitioned two existing

experimental satellite reef health

monitoring products into viable operational web-based products, such as

the Coral Reef Hot Spot

(Figure 3-DOC-12) and SST anomalies product. In addition, the proposed Coral Reef Watch (CRW) program provided support to NOAA's

Coral Reef Information Service

(CoRIS) promoting United States

leadership in the emerging global

"Virtual Coral Reef Ecosystem

Monitoring Laboratory," and continues to provide support solid scientific

basis for the development of future

monitoring and assessment products

and/or capabilities.

CoastWatch. NESDIS has responsibility for CoastWatch Program

Management. This program managed

Figure 3-DOC-12. Global 50 km Coral Reef Hot Spot charts. These products highlight regions of extreme warm water

that can be harmful to coral reefs. Areas in purple are approaching dangerous water temperatures (up to 1 degree

Celsius more than the expected maximum SST) for coral reefs and those in yellow are at or exceeding dangerous water

temperatures (1 degree or more warmer than the expected maximum SST).
56 DOC SECTION 3 

in conjunction with other NOAA Line

Offices makes satellite data products

and in situ data from NOAA environmental buoys available to federal,

state, and local marine scientists and

coastal resource managers. For coastal

areas in the Great Lakes, East Coast,

and Gulf of Mexico, data from the

Advanced Very High Resolution

Radiometer (AVHRR) on NOAA's

polar orbiting spacecraft are collected

at Wallops Island, Virginia, and at

Fairbanks, Alaska. These data are

processed on NOAA computers in

Suitland, Maryland, using a set of

NOAA-developed multi-channel

atmospherically corrected algorithms

for determination of sea surface temperature. Data are then mapped

(Mercator Projection) and sectored to

predefined coordinates specified for

each of the CoastWatch regions.

Digital, high-resolution data products

(1 km/4 km in a CoastWatch Binary

Format) are then passed daily to

CoastWatch Regional Nodes in the

eastern United States (i.e., Southeast,

Great Lakes, Northeast, Gulf of

Mexico, and Caribbean). For Regional

Nodes in the Pacific region

CoastWatch local data acquisition and

processing capabilities are in La Jolla,

California; Anchorage, Alaska; and

Honolulu, Hawaii. NESDIS in collaboration with the National Ocean

Service has established a project that

Nowcasts Sea Nettles in Chesapeake

Bay. The nowcasting model uses a

combination of satellite observations,

hydrodynamical model of the bay, and

a habitat model to predict the occurrence of sea nettles on a weekly basis.

This project represents a collaboration

between scientists from the University

of Maryland Center for Environmental

Science, the Virginia Institute of

Marine Science at the College of

William and Mary, and NOAA. The

Internet is used as the primary

telecommunications pathway for digital data distribution. Once products

are delivered to the CoastWatch

Regional Nodes they become immediately available for local use. An evergrowing number of federal, state, and

local organizations are establishing a

formal relationship with local

CoastWatch Regional Nodes for routine timely access to CoastWatch

image products. More information

about CoastWatch is available on the

Internet at coastwatch.noaa.gov/

COASTWATCH/. Finally, The Coast

Watch AVHRR products are undergoing a modernization effort which will

provide the data in a new format

(HDF) and use new processing software which will improve the earth

locations of the products.

NOAA N ATIONAL D ATA

CENTERS (NNDC)

The NESDIS is responsible for the

management of the NOAA National

Data Centers (NNDC). The NNDC's

consist of three data centers: the

National Climatic Data Center

(NCDC) located in Asheville, North

Carolina, the National Geophysical

Data Center (NGDC) located in

Boulder, Colorado, and the National

Oceanographic Data Center (NODC)

located in Silver Spring, Maryland

( www .nndc.noaa.gov) .

The NOAA National Data Centers

were established to be the Nation's

primary repository for NOAA data.

Since their inception, the role of the

data centers has expanded in

response to the introduction of new

technologies useful to the centers and

available to the users. Originally

designed to archive only NOAA data,

these centers now hold environmental data from a variety of sources, to

include other U.S. government agencies, such as Department of Defense

(DoD) and NASA, foreign governments, universities and cooperatives,

and numerous commercial research

programs.

The three NOAA National Data

Centers (NNDC) are responsible for

the Scientific Stewardship of the

Nation's environmental data, and

developing and operating the associated ingest, monitoring, quality control

processing, access, archive, analysis

and assessment, creation of climate

data records (CDRs), and other product generation systems in support of

their national and international commitments and users.

The NNDCs archive and provide

access to numerous types of data.

Each type of data provides a unique

perspective for use in climate, oceanographic, space weather, and other geophysical research. It is often the combination of many of these data sets that

lead to new discoveries and products

that support activities, such as weather

forecasting, risk (hazards-public safety

and economic) mitigation, weather

impact assessments, and climate

assessments and predictions.

Data sets are typically divided into

the method of collection: Remote

(Satellites), Airborne, and In-situ (surface: land and ocean). In-situ includes

radar, radiosonde, manual and automated surface observing systems,

fixed and drifting buoys, etc.

Observational data must be accompanied by comprehensive and complete

station history data, referred to as

metadata, as well as other ancillary and

auxiliary documentation describing the

data processing procedures (quality

control and assurance) used prior to

and after archiving the data.

Climate Monitoring, Evaluation, and

Prediction are critical to economic sustainability and environmental stewardship, as well as planning and responding to the quality of life changes that

society will encounter in the 21st century and beyond. The challenge facing

the Data Centers is not only ingesting

and processing very large volumes of

new data, but also the convenient and

timely access to the data and information. Millions of paper pages and thousands of feet of microfilm/microfiche

of recorded instrument measurements

and other information dating back hun-
SECTION 3 DOC 57

dreds of years are currently under the

stewardship of the NOAA National

Data Centers. Over the past 50+ years,

many observations have been stored in

digital form. There is now in place a

program to convert analog records to

digital form. The process will take

many years to complete.

The development of a new generation of satellites over the next ten years

{NASA's Earth Observing System

(EOS), Next Generation Geostationary

Operational Environmental Satellite

(GOES), and the Joint

(DoD/NASA/NOAA National Polarorbiting Operational Environmental

Satellite System (NPOESS)}, the

Initial Joint Polar System

(IJPS)/MetOp, and the enhancement of

the operational Next Generation

weather Radars (NEXRAD) {dual

polarization} present major data management (stewardship and customer

access) challenges to the NOAA Data

Centers.

To meet these challenges, the

NOAA/NESDIS organization has

developed the Comprehensive Large

Array-data Stewardship System

(CLASS) program that will provide a

significant portion, but not all, the

funding resources required to improve

and maintain the information technology (IT) infrastructure required to support the mandated scientific data stewardship responsibilities for these

incredibly large volumes of data.

National Climatic Data Center

(NCDC), Asheville, North Carolina.

The National Climatic Data Center

(NCDC) is the Nation's and the world's

largest archive of climate data. The

NCDC produces and maintains numerous data sets, products, and assessments and services many thousands of

customer with data and products

worldwide. The NCDC operates a

World Data Center for Meteorology

and a World Data Center for

Paleoclimatology both collocated at

NCDC. National and global data sets

and assessments are produced that support economic and environmental decisions and plans affected by climate

variations and change. The Center

describes the climate of the United

States through monthly State of the

Climate reports. U.S. Air Force and

U.S. Navy activities collocated with

the NCDC make up the trilateral

Federal Climate Complex (FCC). See

www.ncdc.noaa.gov.

NCDC Activities include:

 Responsible for the long term stewardship (archive and access) of the

Nation's weather and climate data,

as part of the Federal Records

Retention System (FRRS). The

NCDC is an approved Agency

Records Center and operates under

the NARA Federal Records Center

guidelines and policies for managing weather and climate data

records and information.

 Perform the Scientific Data

Stewardship functions inherent to

the mission as the legislatively designated Nation's Climate Data

Center. These include developing

and operating the associated ingest,

monitoring, quality control processing, access, archive, analysis

and assessment, creation of climate

data records (CDRs), and other

product generation systems in support of national and international

commitments.

 Partners nationally with federal

agencies {such as, National

Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA), Department of Defense (DoD),

Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA), United States Department

of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of State (DOS), National

Science Foundation (NSF), United

States Geological Survey (USGS},

United States Global Climate

Research Panel (USGCRP), many

state agencies, all the NOAA Line

Offices, Regional Climate Centers

(RCC), State Climatologists (SC),

universities, and many others.

 Partners internationally with the

World Meteorological Organization (WMO), International Council

of Scientific Unions (ICSU), World

Data Centers (WDC), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC), UNESCO, and other

nations through bilateral and multilateral agreements.

 Serves as a World Data Center

(WDC) for Meteorology under the

auspices of the International

Council of Scientific Unions

(ICSU). In this capacity, the

NCDC archives the data collected

by internationally sponsored

research programs and actively

exchanges climate data with foreign countries to support research

and other activities.

 Serves as a World Data Center

(WDC) for Paleoclimatology

under the auspices of the

International Council of Scientific

Unions (ICSU). In this capacity,

the NCDC assembles, archives,

and provides access to global paleoclimatic data. Paleoclimatic databases are derived from worldwide

geophysical data, namely treerings, stalactites and stalagmites,

coral samples, pollen and macrofossils, lake and bog sediments,

marine sediments, ice cores, and

other geological and biological

sources.

 The six Regional Climate Centers

(RCC) are supported under the auspices of the NCDC. These Centers

provide regional expertise and contribute to the collection, QC processing, and access to regional and

national observing networks. The

RCCs also maintain a strong relationship with the State

Climatologists (SC) and regional

and local businesses providing tailored products and services, as well

as conducting applied research on a

regional basis. Their activities are

integrated into national assess-
58 DOC SECTION 3 

ments.

 Maintains a close working relationship with the State Climatologist

(SC). The NCDC, the RCCs and

the SCs form a vital component of

a National Climate Services

Program.

 Maintains and updates national and

global baseline data sets and climate data records (CDRs) that are

used for monitoring, evaluation,

analyses, and assessments of climate variation and change on global and regional scales. Examples of

these data sets include the Global

Historical Climatology Network

(GHCN), the United States

Historical Climatology Network

(USHCN), the Comprehensive

Ocean-Atmos-phere Data Set

(COADS), the Comprehensive

Aerological Reference Data Set

(CARDS), and the Monthly

Climate Data of the World

(MCDW).

Customer Service. Customers can

access data, information, and products

through a variety of means, such as

real-time and near-time digital access

and retrieval of new and archived historical observations through

E-Commerce web enabled capabilities

(Internet/WWW), as well as traditional

methods, i.e., phone, e-mail, fax,

USPS (letters). Digital access,

retrieved, and delivery of data on-line

and in the robotic storage system via

the Internet is the premier and preferred customer service capability.

Data and information can also be

delivered on magnetic media (tape and

disk), hard copy (paper and microfilm), and staged for FTP transfers.

Many of the NCDC assessments, peer

reviewed journal articles, published

papers, and conference reports are also

available on-line.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

NOAA Scientific Stewardship

Program. This program provides an

approach to the challenges of maximizing the performance, quality, and

utility of climate observing systems,

data, and information. Five fundamental principles provide the framework

for this program: (1) Ensure

Observing System Quality during the

design phase and real time monitoring

of performance; (2) Develop an end-to

end Climate Processing System that

includes the timely ingest, QC/QA processing, immediate access to new and

long-term access to historical records,

and the long-term safeguarding of the

climate records for future generations;

(3) Provide Basic Information

Technology (IT) Support; (4) Document Earth System Variability

through monitoring and evaluation of

present, future, and past observations;

and (5) Enable and Facilitate Future

Research through periodic analysis and

assessment of new and historical

records (Figure 3-DOC-13). The

employment of Scientific Stewardship

Figure 3-DOC-13. Scientific Data Stewardship -- Observations for Climate.
SECTION 3 DOC 59

principles will ensure the "scientific

integrity and long term utility" of climate records for a broad range of

users.

Digital Access and Retrieval of Data

and Information. Significant progress

has been made to digitally ingest data

in near real time and make these data

available to users within hours instead

of days or weeks from on-line disk and

robotic tape storage systems.

Improved access to the next

Generation Internet (NGI) high-speed

communication capabilities have

accelerated the amount of data delivered directly from the filed to the

NCDC at the time or soon after the

time near the time of observation.

Data are now available from 10 to 400

times faster than ever before. One

example of a very successful

NWS/NESDIS/NCDC collaboration is

the real time direct digital ingest and

access to NEXRAD (WSR-88D) Level

II data through NGI connections with

61 NWS sites and the POES and

GOES satellite data. New and historical data are now accessible digitally by

users from on-line disk and robotic

tape storage systems. By the end of

CY 2004, 121 NWS NEXRAD sites

will send Level II data in real time to

the NCDC. The NCDC also receives

on a daily basis the NEXRAD Level

III data digitally from a NWS Central

Collection facility.

Digital Health of the Network

Monitoring (Observing System

Performance Indicators) The

Scientific Services Division has operationally implemented near real time

Network Monitoring (Figure 3-DOC-14).

The purpose of the Network

Monitoring process is to improve the

quality of new observations and the

fidelity of the historical archives by

providing real-time information on the

health and status of NOAA's observing

networks. The fully developed system

will continually monitor and assess the

state of these networks with the intent

of providing feedback that could either

lead to improvements in the network or

changes in analysis techniques to

account for problems in the network.

Anomalies and systematic performance problems are evaluated and

reported to the network manager. The

outcome will be improved observing

system performance and higher quality

data records.

In most cases,

these data

quality issues

can be identified and corrected before

the data are

incorporated

into the historical archives and associated data bases. The COOP Observing

Network is regularly monitored and

the plan is to add other networks, such

as ASOS, Upper Air, etc. The USCRN

program has a more rigorous operational daily monitoring system of

hourly performance.

Assessments and Reports. A series

of regular reports are released regarding several key climate issues of concern to the Nation. For example, the

NCDC releases a monthly and annual

State of the Climate for the U.S. and

the North American Drought

Monitoring Report (Figure 3-DOC-15)

which is a collaborative effort between

Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The

NCDC has established a new division,

Remote Sensing and Applications

Division (RSAD). The purpose of the

RSAD is to capitalize on the identification and blending of key parameters

from satellite and radar observing systems. These currently underutilized

jewels of data and information will be

also blended with in-situ observations

to create a new generation of quality

Climate Data Records (CDRs).

Understanding and knowledge, as well

as new products and services for

research and practical economic and

environmental uses, will be derived

from this progressive approach to maximizing the true value of observations.

U.S. Climate Reference Network

(USCRN). The Ten Climate

Monitoring Principles described in the

Figure 3-DOC-14. A network monitoring system provides Real-time information on the

health and status of NOAAs observing networks.
60 DOC SECTION 3 

National

Research

Council (NRC)

Report,

Adequacy of

Climate

Observing

Systems (1999),

are being used to

guide the design,

deployment, and life cycle management of the U.S. Climate Reference

Network (USCRN). The USCRN is

the first U.S. observing system built

with the primary purpose of providing

climate quality measurements. The

fully deployed network of ~ 298 stations will be able to explain at least to

the 95 percent level the variance in surface air temperature and precipitation

on the national and regional scales.

The USCRN climate quality observations avoid the time dependent biases

typically experienced with other surface observing networks. The USCRN

will be the Nation's Benchmark

Network providing a standard to which

satellite, weather radar, and other surface systems (e.g., ASOS, COOP,

mesonets, etc.) observations can be

validated and verified. In essence, the

USCRN will provide the means to

enhance the quality and confidence in

other observations, as well as contribute to rehabilitating existing historical databases and

data sets. This will

produce a significant increase in the

volume of climate

quality data and information that can

be used in assessing past climate trends

and change, as well as contribute to the

present and future climate monitoring,

evaluation, and forecast tasks. (See

www.ncdc.noaa.gov/crn.html)

NOAA Operational Model Archive

and Distribution System (NOMADS).

NOMADS is a collaborative approach

to provide access and data analysis

capabilities for model and other data.

The NCDC, in partnership with the

National Centers for Environmental

Prediction (NCEP) and the

Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Laboratory (GFDL), initiated this project to address a growing need for

remote access to high volume Global

Climate Model (GCM) and Numerical

Weather Prediction (NWP) model data.

The NOMADS team has partnered

with existing and development activities including CLASS, National

Oceanographic Partnership Program's

(NOPP), National Virtual Ocean Data

System (NVODS), the Department of

Energy's Earth System Grid, and the

Thematic Realtime Environmental

Data Distributed Services (THREDDS) developed through the National

Science Foundation. NOMADS is a

pilot project that uses a distributed

client-server framework of data servers

together with emerging technologies to

access data stored in heterogeneous

formats at geographically distributed

repositories. NOMADS provides, for

the first time, long-term stewardship of

numerical and climate model runs and

provides the regional modeling comFigure 3-DOC-15. NCDC releases a

monthly and annual State of the Climate

for the U.S. and the North American

Drought Monitoring Report which is a

collaborative effort between Canada,

Mexico, and the U.S.
SECTION 3 DOC 61

munity with the data necessary to initialize local models. NOMADS will

also provide the tools necessary to

inter-compare model and observational

data sets from around the world.

Currently there are nine working

NOMADS systems across the nation

serving data in the distributed framework. (See

www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/model/modelresources.html)

Climate Database Modernization

Program (CDMP) Digital databases of

wind speed and direction, precipitation, temperature, and pressure are far

more useful than paper and microfilm

records. These databases support

many disciplines, including economic

research, engineering, risk management, and passive (solar, wind) energy

enterprises. The Climate Database

Modernization Program (CDMP)

addresses access and utilization issues.

The Program's goal is to make nondigital (paper/film) historical climate

data digitally accessible and retrievable on-line via the Internet/WWW.

The conversion of paper and microfilm

records to digital databases and data

sets will provide access to either optically scanned images of records or data

manually keyed into digital data bases.

Many of these records are being

merged with the more recent digital

databases extending the digitally

accessible and retrievable time series

to many decades, as well as hundreds

of years in some cases. Forty million

documents have been imaged and

many thousands of observations manually keyed or digitized from the merchant and military ship records,

America's military forts, U.S. cities,

lighthouses, weather ships, and other

sources. However, approximately two

thirds of the paper and film-based climate data remain to be digitized. The

CDMP provides an unprecedented and

unique opportunity to "rescue" valuable climate data dating back into the

1700s that are in jeopardy of permanent lose due to the deterioration of the

paper and microfilm media. A CDMP

web site will become available in

FY 2004. The CDMP work will take

years to complete.

NOAA Paleoclimatology Program.

(Reassigned from the NGDC to the

NCDC in FY 2003.) Paleoclimatic

data is an important segment of documenting and reconstructing annual to

century scale records leading to climate records dating back 10s and 100s

of millennia. The incorporation of this

program into the functions and activities of the NCDC will enhance the

identification and understanding of climate change and variation. The

NCDC Paleoclimatology Branch

cooperates with many countries in

research projects that combine the

global paleoclimate database with the

instrumental record to extend the climate record back in time for climate

model verification and climate change

studies. Objectives of the program are

to cooperate with researchers in academia, NOAA and other agencies and to

conduct original research to describe

the global patterns of annual-to-millennial scale climate change, to understand the causes of climate change, to

separate man-induced climate change

from natural variability, and to validate

the models that are used to predict

future climates. (See

www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/paleo.html)

Comprehensive Large Array-data

Stewardship System (CLASS). The

CLASS project has been underway

since November 2001. CLASS is the

NOAA implementation program for an

improved architecture for archiving

and servicing large-volume data.

Advances in technology, including

faster network access, web-based

interfaces, and emerging discovery and

analysis tools, will provide a one-stop

capability to access the NOAA large

array data sets. The CLASS objective

is to establish a web-enabled browse,

order, and retrieval delivery system

that will enhance and increase the

availability and accessibility of satellite, radar, and other data and derived

products to customers worldwide. The

CLASS integrated storage and webbased access and servicing system

design incorporates many of the features and capabilities of the current

Satellite Active Archive (SAA) system

built for the POES data stored on a

robotic system located in Suitland,

Maryland. The CLASS baseline calls

for the establishment of two mirrored

systems at Asheville, North Carolina

and Washington, District of Columbia.

CLASS data and product enhancements will be implemented in phases

called campaigns. The major campaigns planned includes GOES, POES,

NEXt generation weather RADar

(NEXRAD), NPOESS Preparatory

Program (NPP), National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental

Satellite System (NPOESS), Earth

Observing System (EOS) Long Term

Archive (LTA) and the European

Meteorological Operational Satellite

(METOP) Program. The first new data

campaign will be the GOES data and is

expected to be on-line during the first

quarter of FY 2004.

NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC

DATA CENTER

The National Oceanographic Data

Center (NODC) (www.nodc.noaa.gov)

manages the world's largest collection

of publicly available oceanographic

data. NODC holdings include in situ

and remotely-sensed physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic data

from coastal and deep ocean areas.

NODC customers reuse this data to

answer questions about climate, and

ocean and coastal phenomena.
62 DOC SECTION 3 

Specifically, NODC data archive and

access responsibilities support climate

research and operational ocean observing system activities as follows:

 NODC performs ocean profile data

management for internationally

coordinated global ocean observing systems such as the Argo

Ocean Profiling Network and the

Global Temperature-Salinity

Profile Program (GTSPP) in cooperation with applicable JCOMM

committees. NODC's objectives

are (1) to safeguard versions of the

Argo and GTSPP near real-time

and retrospective data and information and (2) to provide high quality

data to a wide variety of users in a

timely and useful manner. The

Argo and GTSPP data system present an excellent opportunity to

improve ocean and climate forecasting, with consequent benefits

for the protection of life and property and effective planning for the

effects of seasonal to inter-annual

climate variability.

 NODC produces regular updates of

the World Ocean Data Base and

World Ocean Atlas. The most

recent version, 2001, includes over

seven million profiles of scientifically quality controlled ocean temperature, salinity, oxygen, plankton, pigment, and nutrient data.

The Atlas presents statistics and

objectively analyzed fields for

one-degree and five-degree

squares generated from World

Ocean Database 2001, observed

and standard level flagged data.

The ocean variables included in the

atlas are: in-situ temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, apparent

oxygen utilization, percent oxygen

saturation, dissolved inorganic

nutrients (phosphate, nitrate, and

silicate), chlorophyll at standard

depth levels, and plankton biomass

sampled from 0 - 200 meters depth.

Further information on both products are available at: www.nodc.

noaa.gov/OC5/indprod.html.

 The NOAA Marine Environmental

Buoy Database (http://www.nodc.

noaa.gov/BUOY/buoy.html) is one

of the largest and most frequently

used data archives maintained by

the NODC. This database holds

wind, wave, and other marine data

collected by the NOAA National

Data Buoy Center (NDBC) from

moored buoys and C-MAN

(Coastal-Marine Automated

Network) stations. Parameters

reported by both buoys and

C-MAN stations include air temperature and pressure, wind speed

and direction, wind gust, and sea

surface temperature.

 NODC is developing a capability

to provide public access to consistently-processed, climate-capable

satellite datasets and applying them

to various scientific problems. The

first products provided in 2003

were Pathfinder reprocessed 9 km

and 4 km sea surface temperatures.

For further information see

www.nodc.noaa.gov/sog/.

NOAA/NODC LIBRARY

NODC houses the NOAA Central

Library (www.lib.noaa.gov/) which

supports weather and climate research

programs by providing a variety of

information services, including:

 Access to print and electronic versions of American Meteorological

Society journals.

 Access to Meteorological and

Geoastrophysical Abstracts (desktop access at the Silver Spring campus). 

 Desktop access to Web of Science

at several NOAA sites.

 Assistance in obtaining site licenses for 169 National Weather

Service field sites for electronic

access to Monthly Weather Review

and Weather and Forecasting.

 Archival of historic collections of

the Weather Bureau.

 Data rescue of hundreds of volumes of meteorological data publications in danger of loss.

NATIONAL GEOPHYSICAL DATA

CENTER

The National Geophysical Data

Center (NGDC) (www.ngdc.noaa.gov)

builds and maintains long-term

archives of scientific data, with a special emphasis on scientific stewardship

of data acquired by NOAA observing

systems. Data holdings include

bathymetry, solar, geophysical, space

environment, and earth observing

satellite data. The Center plays an

integral role in the Nation's research

into the environment, and at the same

time provides public domain data to a

wide group of users. The Center works

closely with contributors of scientific

data to prepare documented, reliable

data sets, currently numbering more

than 300 digital and analog databases.

The Data Center continually develops

data management programs that reflect

the changing world of geophysics.

NGDC also operates World Data

Centers (WDC) for Solar-Terrestrial

Physics, Marine Geology and

Geophysics, Solid Earth Geophysics,

and, in conjunction with the National

Snow and Ice Data Center at the

University of Colorado, the WDC for

Glaciology, Boulder. These are operated under the auspices of the

International Council of Scientific

Unions. The secretariat for the

Scientific Committee for SolarTerrestrial Physics is located at NGDC.

NGDC conducts research in satellite

remote sensing and space weather.

NGDC provides data and scientific

stewardship for the archives including

data processing, access, management,

archive, analysis, and research for

databases collected on satellites and by

ground-based observatories. Space

environment data collected on GOES

and POES satellites are archived at

NGDC. Space environmental, meteorological and oceanographic data collected on DMSP satellites are archived
SECTION 3 DOC 63

by the Solar-Terrestrial Physics

Division. Data collected by groundbased observatories used in NOAA's

space weather forecasts, warnings and

alerts are managed at NGDC. The

National Snow and Ice Data Center,

which is affiliated with NGDC through

the University of Colorado's

Cooperative Institute for Research

Environmental Sciences, manages

cryospheric data from both groundbased and satellite instruments.

New technology presents new

opportunities and challenges for

NOAA's National Data Centers

(NNDCs). WWW-based applications

provide improved and more timely

services that include data discovery,

on-line catalogs and inventories, interactive data display, data mining, and

data delivery. As a result, the number

of users has increased dramatically.

Since most of the new users are less

familiar with the data than the research

community, additional burdens are

placed on the NNDC's to assure that

data and products are provided in a display that is easy to understand and in a

format that is easy to use. At the same

time, new applications are under

development, which increase the need

for research quality data.

The DMSP Program at NGDC prepares research quality data from the

raw data records recorded by scientific

instruments on operational satellites

for retrospective analysis and the official archive. Data sets include visible,

infrared and microwave imagery,

microwave soundings and in situ

measurements of the space environment. The official archive is used to

prepare data products, derive geophysical parameters including atmospheric

and ionospheric principal components,

and conduct research. New user services are provided through the Space

Physics Interactive Data Resource

(www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp).

The Space Weather program at

NGDC prepares research quality data

of the near-Earth space environment

for retrospective analysis and the official archive. GOES, DMSP, and POES

satellites carry instruments that monitor the space environment; for example, the SEM instruments on GOES

and POES and the SSIES, SSJ/4 and

SSM instruments on DMSP. The successful launch of DMSP F-16 will

greatly enhance the ionospheric data

archives. Other data sets in the space

weather archives include measurements of solar activity, solar flares,

magnetic activity, magnetic storms,

ionospheric parameters, and ionospheric storms collected by NOAA and

other agencies. The STP program at

NGDC archives measurements of total

solar and solar spectral irradiance for

use in climate studies (www.ngdc.

noaa.gov/stp/stp.html).

The major new activity was the successful operation of the Solar X-ray

Imager on GOES-12. The Solar X-ray

Imager (SXI) is now operational.

Images are generated each minute

(Figure 3-DOC-16) and are instantly

made available via NGDC's website.

Movies are generated every five

minute that give a real-time look at

current activity. Historical images and

movies are also available for study on

the website.

The National Snow and Ice Data

Center (NSIDC) at the University of

Colorado is associated with NGDC

and maintains a catalog of cryospheric

data sets of interest to meteorology and

climatology. These include an on-line

and analog collection of historical photographs of glaciers; temperature, pressure and position data from drifting

stations in the central Arctic pack ice;

ice thickness data from submarines;

and data from operational sea ice chart

digitizing projects. NSIDC acquires

historical snow cover, meteorological,

and sea ice records from the former

Soviet Union. In addition to housing a

NOAA collection of cryospheric data,

NSIDC provides data management

Figure 3-DOC-16. SXI generates three types of images whose exposure

settings are optimized to observe coronal structures, active regions, and

flares. This is a corconal structures image generated at 21:30 UTC on

August 20, 2003.
64 DOC SECTION 3 

services for a variety of cryospheric

research programs sponsored by

NASA and NSF. For example, NSIDC

has developed gridded sea ice products

(sea ice concentrations and multi-year

ice fraction) based on passive

microwave data collected by NASA

and DMSP satellites. NSIDC is

acquiring snow cover, glacier and sea

ice records from the former Soviet

Union. Online services are available

at: www.nsidc.colorado.edu.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

Environmental Remote Sensing.

Operational meteorological satellite

imagery provides a unique opportunity

to monitor wildfires and population

dynamics on a global basis, and sometimes nightly. The DMSP nighttime

imagery are used to locate sources of

visible and infrared emissions including city lights, lightning, wildfires,

flaring gas, and boats. Research projects use the city lights to infer such

diverse parameters as population density, economic vitality, and carbon

dioxide emissions. More information

is available at: www.ngdc.noaa.gov/

stp/stp.html.

Wildfires Monitored from Space.

Operational meteorological satellite

systems offer a unique opportunity to

monitor wildfires because each satellite records nighttime visible emissions

covering the entire globe each day.

Instruments designed to detect clouds

also "see" wildfires--many of which

burn in very remote areas. NGDC has

developed a unique capability to capture the nighttime emissions from both

large and small wildfires. The system

has been used to assist firefighters in

developing countries. More information is available at:

www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/fires/globalfires.html.

Detection of Change. NGDC has

released version one of a pair of

DMSP-OLS "nighttime lights of the

world" images processed specifically

for the detection of change, covering

the years 1992-93 and 2000. The

images can be downloaded from:

dmsp.ngdc.noaa.gov/html/download.ht

ml (look under New Products). NGDC

began work on methods and algorithms for producing high quality

nighttime lights for use in change

detection in early 2001. The digital

OLS archive extends to mid-1992 but

has numerous gaps in the first year.

Images from 1992 and 1993 data were

combined for the early product. The

OLS detects lights from human settlements, fires, gas flares, and heavily lit

boats (primarily squid fishing boats).

The four types of lights have separated,

based on location, brightness/persistence, and visual appearance. In addition to these four global cloud free

products NGDC also provides key

intermediate products: number of valid

coverages, number of cloud free coverages, number of cloud free light detections, and the average DN of the cloud

free light detections. However, the saturation of the visible band in the bright

cores of urban centers remains a problem. This is a characteristic of the

operational OLS data, which forms the

bulk of the archive. It is difficult using

OLS alone to adequately separate gas

flares from human settlements. NGDC

is investigating the use of persistent

MODIS fire detections as a guide for

locating gas flares in the OLS data.

Likewise, the separation of city lights

and fires is not entirely clean in some

parts of the world with extensive fires.

Another problem noted in the current

product set is the effect of snow on the

extent and brightness of the lights,

which can be found in the northern

hemisphere above ~40 degrees latitude. A good place to look for the

effects of snow is in the Great Lakes

region of the USA. NGDC plans to

reprocess the products in the next several months using an improved cloud

detection algorithm and screen for

snow using DMSP SSMI data.

Preliminary cloud-free snow-free

product sets indicate that snow effect

problems will be reduced in the next

release of the products.

NGDC also plans to process the

entire digital OLS time series into

annual nighttime lights composites and

develop a cross calibration (when

observed by multiple OLS sensors) for

OLS nighttime data currently archived.

The products contain a number of

interesting phenomena that result from

the expansion (and contraction) or

lighting. The nighttime lights change

image of Florida (Figure 3-DOC-17 )

is produced from the released data.

Space Weather The Space Weather

program at NGDC conducts original

research in space physics with an

emphasis on space weather and climate

applications. Research focused on

numerical modeling of the ionosphere

and magnetosphere is conducted with

resident and visiting scientists from the

United States and other countries.

Research projects use the extensive

integrated data bases archived at

NGDC. In addition to building better

models and improving our understanding of ionospheric and magnetospheric

plasma processes, the research leads to

improved data sets and new data products. NGDC has embarked on an environmental scenario generator project to

mine information from the archives

and to use the mined information to

launch a numerical simulation of the

atmospheric and space environment.

More information is available at

www.ngdc.noaa. gov/stp/stp.html.

NGDC is leading a data-driven modeling project to build the first space climatology. The project, titled the Space

Weather Reanalysis, is designed similarly to the NCEP/NCAR re-analysis

project, and will construct the distribution of particles and electromagnetic

fields in the near-Earth space environment over an 22 year period of time

(two solar cycles).
SECTION 3 DOC 65

Cryospheric Research at NSIDC

research interests cover a broad spectrum of climate-cryosphere interactions using a variety of observing techniques with special emphasis on arctic

regions and satellite-born instruments.

Their projects study the long-term

record of snow and ice in the arctic and

mountainous regions, with a current

emphasis on the response of the cryosphere to changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns,. Algorithms

to detect snow, frozen ground and sea

ice in passive microwave images from

DMSP and NASA satellites have been

developed at NSIDC researchers have

developed models that describe the

physical and mechanical properties of

snow and ice in glaciers and avalanches.

Figure 3-DOC-17. Nighttime lights change image of Florida

Cyan = No lights and offshore (land / sea mask applied).

Black = Bright lights detected in both time periods (at or near saturation).

Red = Lights much brighter in 2000.

Yellow = New lights in 2000.

Light gray = Dim lighting detected in both time periods - little change in brightness.

Blue = Lights dimmer or missing in 2000 (relative to 1992-93).

SECTION 3 DOC 67

OFFICE OF OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH

OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC

RESEARCH LABORATORIES

Programs within the Oceanic and

Atmospheric Research (OAR)

Laboratories support various National

Oceanic and Atmospheric (NOAA)

meteorological, oceanographic, and

space science missions. The activities

of OAR laboratories are oriented

toward providing the scientific and

engineering understanding, tools, and

techniques that form the basis of

improved national weather and climate

services.

Special emphasis is placed on

improving severe weather and hurricane warnings and forecasts and on

improving the utilization and dissemination of data and information. Severe

weather events include flash floods,

strong winds, thunderstorms (including tornadoes, lightning, and hail),

heavy snowstorms, extreme cold and

heat, drought, and geomagnetic

storms. The key contributions to

improved hurricane forecasts fall

under the "Hurricanes at Landfall"

(HaL) focus of the United States

Weather Research Program (USWRP).

They include more accurate prediction

of track, intensity, surface winds, rainfall, and human impacts. Improving

flood forecasts fall under the component of USWRP labeled "Improving

Quantitative Precipitation Forecasting." In pursuit of improved utilization

and dissemination of data, the OAR

laboratories conduct both in-house and

cooperative research with other NOAA

organizations, government agencies,

joint institutes, universities, and the

private sector. In addition, OAR labs

conduct research to improve routine

weather forecasts and improve the

ability to forecast regional air quality

and atmospheric deposition.

A significant focus of OAR in the

weather and air quality area is the

development of operational testbeds

under the auspices of the USWRP.

These testbeds are the mechanism

through which research is transitioned

to operations. It is recognized by the

USWRP that since NOAA is one of the

forecast mission agencies in the program, and the program goals are predominantly operational ones, its most

significant role in the USWRP is to

provide the infrastructure and capabilities to efficiently and effectively test

research products in an operational

environment. The testbeds are the

Joint Hurricane Testbed, the Mesoscale

Numerical Weather Prediction

Testbed, and the Joint Center for

Satellite Data Assimilation. These

testbeds are operated in partnership

with other USWRP agencies. OAR's

role is to provide directed research and

operational testing, in partnership with

the National Weather Service (NWS).

In addition, the development of the

Weather Research and Forecasting

(WRF) modeling architecture, also

under the auspices of the USWRP, will

provide a common modeling structure

to be shared by most of the testbeds

and between the research and operations communities. Several OAR laboratories are involved in the WRF

development in partnership with the

NWS and other USWRP agencies.

Observing Technology

Two OAR laboratories in Boulder,

Colorado, and one in Norman,

Oklahoma, are heavily involved with

developing new environmental observing system technologies.

The Environmental Technology

Laboratory (ETL) in Boulder,

Colorado, develops and evaluates new

remote-sensing concepts and systems.

This development and the associated

environmental research directly support the Nation's forecasting and warning services.

The Forecast Systems Laboratory

(FSL) in Boulder, Colorado, takes

promising new scientific and engineering technologies from the research

arena, helps develop them into mature

engineering systems, and transfers

these technologies to NOAA operations and the private sector.

The National Severe Storms

Laboratory (NSSL), located in

Norman, Oklahoma, both develops

new remote sensing systems and

assists in the transfer of these technologies to the NWS.

FSL is investigating the use of superpressure balloons in the stratosphere as

a platform for monitoring and observing the environment. Among the balloons' capabilities would be atmospheric soundings. The trajectory of the

balloons could be controlled to some

extent by adjusting their altitude so as

to take advantage of the vertical shear.

The balloons would carry compact,

lightweight sondes whose locations

could be tracked as they fell toward the

surface. The balloons would comprise

a moderately priced global system.

A number of engineering tests have

already been performed at altitude by

piggybacking on a zero-pressure balloon launched by the Physical Science

Laboratory at New Mexico State

University and with launches near the

Oregon coast. Telemetry was received

line-of-sight from a distance of over

200 miles, the storage batteries were

charged by solar panels, the proper

thermal environment was maintained

during the daytime heating cycle, and

the instrument package was successfully recovered after descent by parachute.

In a related balloon development

effort, the Idaho Falls Division of the

Air Resources Laboratory (ARL) is

refining its constant-level "smart" balloon, intended to serve as a marker of

parcels of air moving across the countryside and permitting samples to be

made of the changes occurring in its

composition. The Idaho Falls group is

also active in the development of high

wind speed sensors, such as those used

on aircraft and for studies of hurricanes. A specialized probe to measure

turbulence during hurricanes is now
68 DOC SECTION 3 

nearing completion, as a joint project

with the Oak Ridge Division of ARL.

The Oak Ridge group continues to lead

in the development of specialized sensors for measuring atmospheric turbulence. Their systems are now widely

used for measuring the efficiency of

coupling between the air and the surface, and have recently been selected

for instrumenting the latest generation

of research aircraft, manufactured in

Italy.

ETL and FSL will continue development of new sensors and innovative

techniques for combining observing

systems synergistically and economically. Efforts include developing tools

and techniques to integrate the data

from surface-based and satellite-borne

profiling systems for more effective

use of these data in forecasts. In support of this effort, ETL has recently

added a satellite remote sensing group

that uses data from various environmental satellites to study air-sea interaction processes, the global hydrological cycle including water vapor and

precipitation, and the Earth's radiation

budget.

ETL scientists, in conjunction with

the National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA), are also

investigating the potential of a new

observational platform featuring

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs.

The concept is to deploy specialized

cameras called hyperspectral imagers

on these remote-controlled, solar-powered aircraft. Recent developments

indicate that UAV's will eventually be

capable of flying indefinitely at altitudes exceeding 50,000 feet, higher

than most weather events, but much

lower than satellites, making them

ideal observational platforms. Dubbed

"Peacewing," ETL scientists envision

many potential applications of this

technology. Images from UAV-mounted cameras can be used to enhance

satellite images of severe storms such

as hurricanes. This platform can also

be used to monitor the health of coral

reefs. It can also be flown over land to

assess moisture content of soil and

vegetation, both of which are indicators of drought and fire susceptibility.

Peacewing is a perfect complement to

satellite-borne sensors and ground

based systems (Figure 3-DOC-18).

ETL has demonstrated that tornadoes

can be detected well before touchdown

by listening for their unique infrasonic

signatures. Infrasonic antennas located in the central United States have

been used to detect and locate numerous tornadoes. Verification has been

provided by Doppler radar and visual

sightings. This research effort is continuing and it is proposed that a network of these inexpensive infrasonic

systems be deployed at WSR-88D sites

to enhance early detection capability.

Icing is a weather hazard that occasionally causes aviation disasters,

especially in winter. In-flight icing

forms on wings and other exposed surfaces as an aircraft flies through clouds

that contain super-cooled liquid water

droplets. Leveraging earlier work with

polarization-sensitive cloud radars,

ETL designed a new ground-based

cloud radar and radiometer system to

monitor clouds in the vicinity of airports and to provide automated warnings of icing conditions aloft. This

instrument is the Ground-based

Remote Icing Detection System

(GRIDS).

ETL continues development of lidars

and infrared Doppler multi-frequency

radars as research tools to improve our

knowledge of atmospheric winds, turbulence, and moisture processes.

Development of dual-polarization

Doppler and multi-frequency radars

and passive radiometers will also be

undertaken to study convective storms

and their precursors, including incloud and entrainment processes. ETL

will also continue research in the area

of ocean remote sensing, including

theoretical and experimental studies of

rough surface scattering processes. In

particular, ETL has demonstrated the

potential application of Cold War-era

over-the-horizon (OTH) surveillance

radars for the large-scale mapping of

ocean surface currents and winds.

ETL is developing an airborne

Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer

(PSR) designed to provide higher resolution measurements of sea state quantities, including surface winds.

The discussion of observing technologies would be incomplete without mention of the North American Atmospheric

Observing System (NAOS) Program.

The overriding purpose of NAOS is to

make recommendations on the configuration of the upper air observing system

over North America and adjacent water

areas. Government organizations and

universities in Canada, Mexico, and the

United States support NAOS. About 15

agencies from these countries have representatives on the NAOS Council,

which identifies issues, sets priorities,

coordinates the work of the program,

and seeks financial support. Eventually,

the council will advise governments on

how to:

(1) improve the utility of existing

observing systems and reduce costs,

(2) design a cost-effective observing

system for the 21st Century, and

(3) evolve toward that system from

the present one.

OAR representatives serve on the

NAOS council and its two principal

working groups.

The NSSL is known for its development of observational capability, both

Figure 3-DOC-18. ETL envisions

Peacewings becoming part of

NOAAs observational platforms for

severe storms and hurricanes.
SECTION 3 DOC 69

remote and in situ, and in particular for

its role in the development of the

WSR-88D NEXRAD radar. NSSL is

presently working to improve the

WSR-88D software algorithms used

by the NWS forecasters and is exploring ways to enhance the WSR-88D

hardware using dual polarization techniques. Most weather radars, including the WSR-88D NEXRAD radar,

transmit radio wave pulses that have a

horizontal orientation. Polarimetric

radars (also referred to as dual-polarization radars), however, transmit

radio wave pulses that have both horizontal and vertical orientations. The

horizontal pulses essentially give a

measure of the horizontal dimension of

cloud (cloud water and cloud ice) and

precipitation (snow, ice pellets, hail,

rain) particles while the vertical pulses

essentially give a measure of the vertical dimension. Since the power

returned to the radar is a complicated

function of each particle size, shape,

and ice density, this additional information results in improved estimates

of rain and snow rates, better detection

of large hail location in summer

storms, and improved identification of

rain/snow transition regions in winter

storms. The first step in the processing

is to prototype a new Radar Data

Acquisition (RDA) unit for the

WSR-88D capable of processing the

additional information to produce the

dual polarization information. In

March 2002, dual polarized data were

collected using the NSSL WSR-88D

research radar located on the NSSL

Norman, Oklahoma campus. NSSL is

assisting the NWS with the next step,

the development of a generalized dualpolarization solution for their network

of WSR-88D radars.

Tropical Atmospheric Research

The Tropical Dynamics and Climate

Program of the Aeronomy Laboratory

(AL) is using a network of remotesensing wind profilers in a long-term

study of tropical circulation and its

impact on global climate. The TransPacific Profiler Network consists of an

array of wind profilers that make continuous measurements of atmospheric

winds and other parameters in the tropical Pacific. In addition to 50-MHz

wind profilers, the network is incorporating 915-MHz lower tropospheric

wind profilers developed at AL. The

observations, which extend from the

boundary layer to the lower stratosphere, reveal the relationship between

atmospheric vertical motions and convective systems in the tropics.

Precipitation measurements can be

made with sufficient vertical resolution

to categorize precipitation in deep and

shallow convective systems and in

stratiform conditions. The network

will: (1) provide valuable improvements to the boundary layer and convective parameterization schemes used

in general circulation models and

(2) contribute to climate forecasting by

furthering the understanding of the

coupled ocean-atmosphere dynamics

that governs the El Niño-Southern

Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, the

dominant component of interannual

climate change. Routine wind observations are made at Christmas Island

using 50-MHz and 915-MHz profilers.

Lower tropospheric wind measurements using 915-MHz profilers are

made at San Cristobal, Ecuador; and

Tarawa, Kiribati. In addition, surface

and upper air measurements are being

made at Nauru and Manus Island,

Papua, New Guinea, at sites collocated

with the Atmospheric Radiation CART

Sites (ARCS) maintained by the

Department of Energy's (DOE)

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement

(ARM) program. The wind data are

assimilated into the analyses and forecast models of NOAA's National

Centers for Environmental Prediction

(NCEP), the European Centre for

Medium-Range Weather Forecasting

(ECMWF), and other meteorological

centers. The data are also used by climate researchers to support investigations of the variability of tropical circulation systems. A recent focus of

research with profilers has been to provide ground validation research in support of the NASA Tropical Rainfall

Measuring Mission (TRMM). Profiler

observations were made by AL during

several TRMM Ground Validation

Field Campaigns in 1998 and 1999.

These observations have provided

important information on the vertical

structure and temporal evolution of

precipitating cloud systems during

these campaigns. The profiler observations have been made available to

the TRMM Science Team and can be

viewed on the AL web page

(www.al.noaa.gov). The observations

made during the field campaigns are

the subject of collaborative research

with other TRMM researchers with an

emphasis on the use of profilers to calibrate scanning radars used for TRMM

ground validation research and the use

of profilers to retrieve drop-size distributions and related precipitation

parameters of interest to the TRMM

Science Team. One profiler is being

maintained for TRMM at Legan,

Kwajalein to obtain a longer term perspective on the structure of precipitating clouds and the variability of drop

size distributions in oceanic precipitation. Validation of drop-size distributions used in algorithms is key to

improving the retrieval of rainfall estimates from the TRMM satellite data.

Severe Weather Analysis and

Forecasting Research

The National Severe Storms

Laboratory focuses on research to

understand and forecast severe weather systems and their associated hazards, such as tornadoes, hail, high

winds, heavy rain and snow, lightning,

and ice storms. The parameters of

storm development and intensification

are identified and studied by incorporating observations from Doppler

weather radar, satellites, remote-sensing wind profilers, instrumented aircraft, and lightning-location networks.

NSSL's research includes assessment
70 DOC SECTION 3 

and improvement of numerical models

to forecast severe weather systems.

NSSL provides significant technical

and scientific support, with a focus on

research and development, for the

NWS WSR-88D radar program. In

2003, NSSL continued to develop

techniques, in cooperation with the

NWS, to forecast and warn of weather

hazards to aviation and the general

public. Knowledge gained from the

Verification of the Origins of Rotation

in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX)

campaigns in the mid- and late-1990's,

1998's Mesoscale Convective System

(MCS) Electrification and Polarimetric

Radar Study (MeaPRS) and the 2000

Intermountain Precipitation Experiment (IPEX) provided new understanding of severe thunderstorms,

storm electrification, winter weather,

and tornadoes and lead to improved

methods to detect, model, and predict

these storms (Figure 3-DOC-19).

NSSL works closely with the NWS

WSR-88D Radar Operations Center

(ROC). NSSL's involvement with the

project to re-host the Radar Product

Generator to an open systems computation platform (ORPG) was completed in November 2001. The ORPG system will ease the incorporation of new

software applications and allow for

integration of new hardware technology into the radar system resulting in

less time needed for technology transfer. The NWS's ORPG deployment for

170 total radar sites, both operational

and non-operational, began August

2001 and ran through 2002.

Improvement of short-range

(1-12 hour) forecasting will be accomplished by the development and evaluation of new local data system technologies and techniques, many of

which can be incorporated into operational weather forecasting in the near

term. FSL develops and evaluates

state-of-the-art workstations for forecast office environments. Specifically,

FSL has and will continue to develop

capabilities to allow the forecaster to

integrate, view, and manipulate observations from current and planned

meteorological sensing systems using

computer-assisted data display and

synthesis techniques. By maintaining

state-of-the-art capability for use in

research and development of operational techniques, it continues to provide a mechanism to evaluate weather

service requirements for AWIPS.

FSL will continue efforts toward

effective assimilation of diverse observational data into numerical prediction

models. Data from the Aeronautical

Radio Incorporated (ARINC) Aircraft

Communications, Addressing, and

Reporting System (ACARS);

WSR-88D Doppler radars; and weather satellites, especially Geostationary

Operational Environ-mental Satellite

(GOES), are frequent and provide

unprecedented resolution, either in the

vertical or the horizontal, or both.

These data are being more fully

exploited in the Local Analysis and

Prediction System which provides

highly detailed analyses and forecasts

over areas hundreds of kilometers on a

side, and the Mesoscale Analysis and

Prediction System, the basis for operational and frequent short-term forecasts for the lower 48 states. The system has been incorporated into the

AWIPS system and is being used by a

number of other agencies, not only for

various regions of the United States,

but for a number of regions throughout

the world.

OAR will continue to transfer

knowledge of Doppler radar applications, severe weather systems, and

heavy rainfall events; much of the

transfer is through courses at the NWS

training center. Visits and interactions

with NWS centers, regional headquarters, and forecast offices continue and

NSSL is participating directly in training programs, such as COMET in

Boulder, Colorado, and the WSR-88D

Operational Support Facility in

Norman, Oklahoma.

A multi-year program of coastal

meteorology research continues at the

Pacific Marine Environmental

Laboratory (PMEL). This program

also involves ETL and NSSL, the

Seattle NWS Forecast Office, the

National Center for Atmospheric

Research (NCAR), and the University

of Washington. Support for the program is also being provided by the

Office of Naval Research. This

research improves understanding of

the effects of prominent terrain on

West Coast weather, with the ultimate

goal of providing improved forecasts

Figure 3-DOC-19. Schematic diagram of a thunderstorm 

(Source: NSSLs VORTEX Project web site)
SECTION 3 DOC 71

of coastal winds, precipitation, sea

state, and storm surges. The emphasis

is on the upstream effects of the coastal

terrain in the storm environment when

the background forcing is strong and

the coastal forecasts are most critical.

The approach involves special field

observations and diagnostic studies

using experimental numerical simulations. Field work featuring a NOAA

WP-3 research aircraft in the 1990s,

for example, has yielded meteorological data for the Pacific Northwest coast

with low-level winds of up to 85 knots,

in the vicinity of strong fronts and, in

one case, an intense, landfalling low

pressure system. The case studies

from this work provide immediate

insights on the influences of the coastal

terrain on landfalling storms, and high

quality data sets for numerical model

initialization and validation. Followup field programs in FY 2001 and

FY 2002 focused on cloud and precipitation processes using special observations from research aircraft and

land-based radars. The results are providing information on how to improve

forecasts of Northwest weather.

Mesometeorology and Precipitation

Forecasting and Warning Research

NSSL develops techniques to

improve short-term forecasts of significant weather events. Through detailed

case studies and regional climatologies, scientists have developed diagnostic tools and aids for operationally

forecasting thunderstorms, lightning,

flash floods, and large mesoscale convective storms complexes. Experiments such as MeaPRS in 1998 and the

Severe Thunderstorm Electrification

and Precipitation Study (STEPS) in

2000 were conducted to improve the

science behind the technology.

MeaPRS was specifically designed to

investigate mesoscale convective systems electrification processes and

ways to enhance understanding of

polarimetric radar measurements in

preparation for possibly upgrading the

NWS radars in the future. STEPS was

designed to improve our understanding

of how severe storms become electrified and to better understand how variations in lightning flash type and flash

rate relate to severe storm classification and storm evolution. Other studies underway are focused on the precipitation structure of mesoscale convective systems, the interactions

between mesosconvective systems and

the larger environment, the use of

satellites to infer storm development

and rainfall, short-range ensemble

forecasting techniques, and winter

storm forecasting procedures.

NSSL will continue to investigate

various model convective parameterization schemes, along with techniques

to improve model initialization through

four-dimensional data assimilation in

2002. Also in 2002, NSSL conducted

an experiment called the International

H2O Project (IHOP). IHOP was a field

experiment over the Southern Great

Plains (SGP) of the United States. The

chief aim of the 2002 IHOP campaign

is improved characterization of the

four-dimensional (4-D) distribution of

water vapor and its application toward

improving the understanding and prediction of convection. The SGP region

is an optimal location due to existing

experimental and operational facilities,

strong variability in moisture, and

active convection.

NSSL is working with the NWS

Storm Prediction Center (SPC) to

improve the nation's ability to forecast

severe weather and to enhance severe

winter weather guidance products.

Data collected during the IPEX campaign held in 2001 should help. The

data are being analyzed by NSSL, SPC

and University of Utah scientists. The

IPEX field and research program was

designed to improve the understanding,

analysis, and prediction of precipitation

and precipitation processes in complex

terrain. Data analysis of IPEX continues in 2004.

Mesoscale Dynamics at the

Geophysical Fluid Dynamics

Laboratory (GFDL) in Princeton, New

Jersey, develops and utilizes atmospheric models with limited spatial

domains to understand mesoscale phenomena and the interaction of these

regional scale features with the atmosphere's larger-scale synoptic processes.

As part of these research activities,

GFDL scientists investigate the practical limits of forecast models to predict

the behavior of these mesoscale features through model sensitivity studies.

(Figure 3-DOC-20).

The FSL implemented a Rapid

Update Cycle (RUC) at NCEP ten

years ago, in 1994. The RUC gave a

new analysis of surface and atmospheric conditions every three hours as

well as short-range predictions for the

next 12 hours. This information is useful to forecasters at local NWS offices

around the country and also supports

commercial and general aviation.

A higher-resolution, higher-frequency version of the RUC was implemented at NCEP in April 2002. This new

version operates at 20-km horizontal

resolution with 50 vertical levels and

provides updates every hour, thus,

incorporating information from virtually all high frequency data sources:

hourly wind profiles; WSR-88D

(Doppler radar) velocity azimuth displays; ACARS reports (up to 65,000

per day); cloud-drift winds and estimates of total precipitable water vapor

from the GOES satellites; and surface

observations. The new RUC also

includes explicit forecasts of cloud

droplets, ice crystals, raindrops,

snowflakes, and graupel (snow pellets). This improves forecasts of precipitation type. The RUC exploits a

new, multi-level soil and vegetation

model to improve forecasts at and near

the earth's surface.

Along with NCAR, NCEP, and the

university community, FSL is collaborating on the development of a new

mesoscale model, the Weather

Research and Forecast (WRF) model.

The goal is to have the WRF model
72 DOC SECTION 3 

become a community model and a tool

both for experimental and operational

prediction, thus paving the way for

quick realization of research advances

in forecast dissemination to the public

and industry.

The Air Resources Laboratory

(ARL) is also involved in the development of new models for operational

use by NCEP. The main focus is on

mesoscale models and in the development of new capabilities for data

assimilation. In particular, the new

generation of mesoscale models (such

as the WRF model referred to above)

will require advanced descriptions of

the coupling between the air and the

surface, a matter that is being studied

intensively in ARL programs involving

closely interacting measurement and

modeling activities. To this end, ARL

maintains the nation's surface radiation

network (SURFRAD), data from

which are now routinely employed to

test both forecast mesoscale models

(such as the Eta model) and satellite

outputs. ARL conducts research on the

surface energy balance and on the spatial variability of surface fluxes using

aircraft. In addition, ARL serves as the

provider of the NCEP modeling capability to address situations of atmospheric dispersion, such as of emissions

from sources like volcanos and industrial enterprises. In recent work, ARL

is developing a new system for forecasting the dispersion of smoke from

forest fires, in collaboration with the

Association of South East Asian

Nations and their Regional Haze

Action Plan.

Hurricane Analysis and Prediction

Research

The Hurricane Research Division

(HRD) of the Atlantic Oceanographic

and Meteorological Laboratory

(AOML) explores hurricanes in dedicated research flights aboard the

WP-3D aircraft operated by NOAA's

Aircraft Operations Center (AOC).

The P-3s carry a suite of instruments to

measure a wide range of meteorological quantities, including standard

flight-level data; precipitation characteristics; remotely-sensed surface

winds; vertical soundings; ocean thermal structure; radar reflectivity; and

Doppler radar winds. In addition to the

airborne observations, HRD develops

techniques for real-time analysis and

display of hurricane data, especially of

surface winds. It also carries out modeling and theoretical studies closely

tied to the observational program and

studies interannual and inter-decadal

changes in hurricane activity.

The Gulfstream IV (G-IV) jet, also

operated by AOC, has been used successfully in the hurricane environment

since 1997. The G-IV extends the

envelope of observations throughout

the depth of the troposphere. Use of

these aircraft presents an unprecedented opportunity for better understanding

and forecasting of hurricanes through

detailed observations. Of special interest are hurricanes' inner core, the

oceanographic and upper tropospheric

synoptic-scale forcings that control

intensity and motion, and the kinematics and thermodynamics of the nearsurface boundary layer. The GPSbased dropsondes procured as the GIV's main scientific payload play a

vital role in these investigations

because of their high vertical resolution and superior thermodynamic and

wind sensing capability. The 1998

season constituted the first major field

program for HaL carried out in collaboration with NASA's Third Convection

and Moisture Experiment

(CAMEX-3). The success of this campaign combined with follow-on missions in later years was unprecedented.

NOAA and NASA aircraft flew a combined total of more than 100 scientific

sorties in 1998 and 1999. Participation

by the G-IV and NASA's DC-8 and

ER-2 provided extensive in situ observations above the middle troposphere

for the first time since the 1960s. In

addition to airborne measurements,

university teams with instrumented

towers, mobile Doppler radars, and

portable profilers coordinated with

Figure 3-DOC-20. GFDLs 3-D model depiction of Hurricane Floyd
SECTION 3 DOC 73

HRD to obtain detailed measurements

of near-surface conditions in most hurricanes that passed onshore during

these seasons.

The motivation for acquisition of the

G-IV was a statistically rigorous

demonstration, based upon more than a

decade of experiments with the P-3s,

that intensive observations of the flows

surrounding hurricanes can produce

substantial (16-30 percent) reductions

in track forecast errors. Data from

multiple-aircraft experiments involving the G-IV and WP-3Ds should confirm the GI-V's ability to improve forecasts. Adaptive targeting of aircraft

observations to regions where they will

do the most good is a strategy to realize even further improvement.

The forecast system currently has

limited skill in prediction of intensity.

Through continuing research with the

expanded aircraft fleet, the Nation can

realize large (billions of dollars per

year) economic benefits through more

accurate routine operational track forecasts. A second, equally significant,

outcome is the promise of dynamically-based, skillful intensity forecasts.

Because hurricanes inflict huge costs

on the United States economy, even

incremental improvements in forecasts

have large benefit to expenditure

ratios. The report on HaL by the

USWRP Prospectus Development

Team 5 (PDT5) contains a comprehensive, focused scientific strategy to realize these benefits (BAMS, 79, 305-

323).

In addition to HRD research activities, OAR scientists carry out hurricane research at GFDL. GFDL's

Hurricane Dynamics group performs

hurricane modeling research to study

the genesis, development, and decay of

tropical storms using multi-nested

three-dimensional computer models of

the hurricane system and its surrounding environment.

In the early 1990's, this research

model proved so successful for simulation of observed storm behavior that

the NWS adopted a version of it for

use in operational forecasting. From

the 1995 through the 1999 hurricane

seasons, the GFDL Hurricane

Prediction System provided the most

accurate hurricane-track forecast guidance available and contributed substantially to the dramatic error reductions in official forecasts that have

occurred since its introduction.

Under the USWRP and its participating agencies, OAR, NWS, and NESDIS established a Joint Hurricane

Testbed (JHT) at the Tropical

Prediction Center in Miami, Florida. It

is anticipated that the JHT will continue to grow in FY 2004 as more

resources become available. This testbed is where the hurricane research

will be evaluated for operational use

and those research products passing

the test will be handed off to operations.

Numerical Analysis and Prediction

Modeling

As part of its weather research activities, GFDL conducts long lead-time

research to understand the predictability of weather on both large and small

scales and to translate this understanding into improved numerical weather

prediction models. Three groups at

GFDL are engaged in weather research

activities: Experimental Prediction,

Mesoscale Dynamics, and Hurricane

Dynamics (described above).

Experimental Prediction at GFDL

develops and improves numerical

models of the atmosphere-ocean-land

system in order to produce useful

weather forecasts with lead-times

ranging from weeks to seasons and

beyond. The group is pursuing several

avenues of research to achieve such

improvements. First, GFDL scientists

are investigating methods of stochastic

dynamic prediction in order to extract

as much forecast information as possible from numerical prediction models,

given imperfectly observed initial conditions. In addition, laboratory scientists are developing methods for the

assimilation of ocean observations into

prediction models in order to improve

the forecast of the atmosphere and the

ocean.

Air Quality Research

The principal mission of the ARL is

to improve the capability to forecast

changes in air quality and atmospheric

deposition. Deposition is the factor

that links the pollutant characteristics

of the air with the terrestrial and aquatic environments. ARL's research

focuses on the lower atmosphere,

where the atmosphere is in direct contact with other media-- aquatic, terrestrial, and biospheric. The core of ARL

research relates to studies of the atmosphere as a component of the total environment. Much of this work is in collaboration with other parts of NOAA

(principally NCEP) and with other

agencies, such as EPA, DOE, and the

DoD.

The ARL Headquarters Division in

Silver Spring, Maryland, develops

models for air quality prediction, for

use in special forecasting (both weather and air quality) programs, and in

emergency response. The

Atmospheric Sciences Modeling

Division, in Research Triangle Park,

North Carolina, develops predictive

models on local, regional, and global

scales for assessing changes in air

quality and air pollution exposure as

affected by ecosystem management

and regulations. This work is primarily to provide technical guidance to the

EPA on air pollution control strategies

for attainment and maintenance of

ambient air quality standards. The

Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion

Division, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee,

conducts studies to improve understanding of atmospheric transport, diffusion, and air-surface exchange

processes, and to develop new predictive models. The Field Research

Division, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, designs

and conducts field studies to evaluate

the performance of transport and dispersion models, over local, regional,
74 DOC SECTION 3 

and continental scales, and specializes

in the development of high-technology

airborne instrumentation (for both aircraft and balloons). The Special

Operations and Research Division

(SORD), in Las Vegas, Nevada, conducts research on problems of mutual

interest to NOAA and DOE that relate

to the Nevada Test Site, its atmospheric environment, and its emergency prepared-ness and emergency response

activities. SORD also serves as the

main NOAA facility working with the

Cooperative Institute for Atmospheric

Studies and Terrestrial Applications

(CIASTA) of the University of Nevada

system.

Air quality forecasting is a major

theme of ARL research. Over the last

several years, ARL has made ozone

forecasts available to interested

researchers, via the web, with focus

mainly on the area surrounding the

Great Smoky Mountains. In this area,

ozone exceedances are reported with

increasing frequency, and forecasts of

ozone levels are being requested by

federal and state agencies alike. The

ARL effort in this regard is targeted

through its East Tennessee Ozone

Study (ETOS), which has been a focus

for regional air quality attention for the

last three years. In future years, it is

planned to develop air quality forecast

capabilities using the supercomputing

center of the University of Nevada at

Las Vegas, through the formal linkage

with the CIASTA.

ARL operates two national networks

that direct research attention on the

needs of the next generation of predictive models. The Atmospheric

Integrated Research Monitoring

Network (AIRMoN) is a nested-network with sites of varying complexity

addressing evolving scientific issues of

wet and dry deposition from the

atmosphere. A major current item for

scientific attention is the atmospheric

deposition of nitrogen compounds and

its role in promoting eutrophication of

ecosystems, primarily coastal. The

ARL-run Integrated Surface Irradiance

Study (ISIS) serves as the national

array of monitoring stations for solar

radiation (and ultraviolet-B) with a

subset of more advanced stations (the

SURFRAD array) where both incoming and outgoing radiation components

are monitored. Many of the

SURFRAD stations are augmented

with instrumentation to measure fluxes

of sensible heat, latent heat, momentum, and carbon dioxide. Thus, the

SURFRAD program is evolving into

one of complete energy balance with

supporting data on carbon dioxide

exchange. This work forms an intersection with the new flux measurement

networks in the United States and

overseas, referred to as "Ameriflux"

and "Fluxnet." All of this work is coupled with ARL research on atmospheric aerosols and with the development

of new automatic methods for measuring cloud cover.

Much of ARL's research focus is on

expressing air surface exchange

processes in numerical models. To this

end, ARL scientists have been instrumental in developing methods for

describing an air surface exchange

appropriate for use with model grid

cells of several tens of kilometers on a

side. To test the aerial integration

capabilities, ARL has instrumented an

aircraft of the NOAA fleet (a

DeHavilland Twin Otter) to measure

all of the eddy fluxes as well as a number of trace gas exchange rates. This

instrumented aircraft has been used in

several field experiments and has

already demonstrated that considerable

error can result when local values are

inappropriately taken to represent larger areas.

ARL also provides forecast support

to NOAA's emergency response systems with emphasis on chemical,

nuclear, and volcanic events. For this

application, ARL develops and couples

advanced dispersion models with the

forecast products of the NWS to provide a basis for trajectory and dispersion calculations. The models in question are now widely accepted. The

Hazardous Atmospheric Release

Model (HARM) is operationally

employed at a number of DOE locations. The ARL Hybrid Single Particle

Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory

(HYSPLIT) model is now operational

in many countries, including China

and Australia, as the national dispersion forecasting capability. It also

serves the NWS in this role.

Registered users can also access

HYSPLIT products via the Internet.

HYSPLIT is the major product

employed in the operations of the

Regional Specialized Meteorology

Center (RSMC) set up as a joint undertaking of ARL and NCEP under the

auspices of the World Meteorological

Organization (WMO). The WMO/

RSMC is the source of dispersion

products in the event that a pollution

plume (in this case, radioactive) crosses international boundaries.

The provision of dispersion forecasts

by ARL scientists extends to two specific areas of special relevance - the

Nevada Test Site and the Idaho

National Engineering and Environment Laboratory. ATL maintains staffs

of dedicated dispersion meteorologists

at each location, where site-specific

models are developed and run using

data generated by dedicated regional

networks of meteorological sensors.

The Aeronomy Laboratory coordinates an air quality research effort-- the

Health of the Atmosphere research.

NOAA's Health of the Atmosphere

research is focused on the atmospheric

science that underlies regional and

continental air quality, with the goal of

improving our ability to predict and

monitor future changes, leading to

improved scientific input to decisionmaking. AL, ARL, the Climate

Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL), FSL, and ETL participate in the research. The Health of the

Atmosphere research goals are:

 Characterize regional ozone
SECTION 3 DOC 75

episodes: Characterize the origin

of ozone in rural areas, where crop

and forest damage are of increasing

concern. In 2000, a comprehensive

air quality field experiment took

place in the region around Houston

Texas. This experiment was

designed to investigate the complex chemical and meteorological

factors that influence the air quality of that coastal region. The

regional chemistry is of special

interest because of the presence of

large natural as well as anthropogenic sources of hydrocarbons

(including the petrochemical

industry) and because of the unique

influence of coastal meteorology

on air quality of the region.

 Document trends in air quality:

Help evaluate predicted atmospheric responses to changes in emissions (i.e., the ongoing measurements provided by the AIRMoN

and the ozone profiling networks).

 Develop a better understanding of

the fundamental science underlying

the processes responsible for the

formation and distribution of fine

particles in the atmosphere to

improve the atmospheric predictive

capability that links sources of fine

particles and their precursors to

human exposure and visibility

impairment.

In future Health of the Atmosphere

research, the OAR Laboratories will

integrate their meteorological, chemical, and forecasting expertise to build

an assessment and prediction capability for regional air quality that incorporates the influence of multipletimescale meteorology/climatology.

While the ambient levels of pollutants

like ozone and fine particles are clearly dependent on pollutant emissions, a

large fraction of the variation in those

levels is driven by meteorology, both

in the short term and longer term.

Therefore, the key to assessing both

the intended long-term improvements

in air quality and the more-episodic

variations lies in understanding not

only the atmospheric linkages between

emissions and concentrations, but also

in understanding the coupled chemical

and meteorological processes. This

"chemical meteorology" research will

extend the current program focus on

emissions/concentration linkages to

include a predictive understanding of

the role of synoptic, seasonal/interannual, and longer-term meteorological/climatological changes on the

chemistry of the lower atmosphere.

Research efforts will also focus on an

evaluation and improvement of the

tools used to forecast future air quality

and the observing systems needed to

evaluate their skill.

The Air Quality Research Subcommittee of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources (CENR)

will provide the interagency collaboration at the United States federal level.

On the broader international arena, the

coordinating body is the North

American Research Strategy for

Tropospheric Ozone (NARSTO), a trilateral public/private partnership

focused on ozone and particulate matter research in the United States,

Canada, and Mexico. NOAA is the

public sector co-chair of NARSTO.

ETL uses its suite of remote sensors,

including a mobile profiler network,

airborne and ground-based ozone

Lidars, Doppler Lidar, and supporting

turbulence instrumentation to understand and better model the transport,

transformation, and fate of primary

and secondary pollutants in both rural

and urban environments as well as in

complex orography. ETL participated

in field programs in FY 2002 designed

to develop a deeper understanding of

climate variability and source pollutants in the New England region

(Atmospheric Investigation, Regional

Modeling, Analysis and Prediction

(AIRMAP) and NEPS, and to investigate the composition of air masses

along the Pacific coast of North

America as part of the Intercontinental

Transport and Chemical Transformation (ITCT) program. ITCT is a coordinated international research program

designed to address the question,

"How does the transport of chemicals

from one continent influence the air

quality in other continents, as well as

regional and global climate?" ETL

will be deploying a number of lidar

systems and wind profiler radars in

support of these programs.

SPACE ENVIRONMENT SERVICES

AND THE SPACE ENVIRONMENT

CENTER

NOAA and the Air Force jointly

operate the National Space Weather

Operations (SWO) group in NOAA's

Space Environment Center (SEC) in

Boulder, Colorado. The SEC, working

closely with the Air Force Weather

Agency (AFWA), provides forecasts,

alerts, indices, and summaries of disturbances occurring on the Sun, in

space, in the geomagnetic environment, and in the upper atmosphere.

The services are used by DoD, DOE,

NASA, Department of Transportation

(DOT), Department of Commerce

(DOC), Department of Interior (DOI),

the National Science Foundation

(NSF), commercial users, and the

research community to:

 Optimize the operation of technical

systems that are adversely affected

by disturbances in the space environment;

 Protect astronauts from harmful

radiation; and

 Carry out research in the solar-terrestrial environment.

Examples of the adverse effects

include loss or reduced efficiency of

communication systems, radiation hazards to personnel and systems in high

altitude aircraft and in space, degradation of surveillance and monitoring

systems for defense, errors in navigation systems, perturbations of satellite

orbits, and disruptions in power distribution networks. The United States

Air Force operates a space weather
76 DOC SECTION 3 

operations center at AFWA to provide

space weather support, including products from the SWO group, to DoD

assets. The AFWA operates and maintains the solar observing network with

sites at Palehua, Hawaii; Learmouth,

Australia; San Vito, Italy; Ramey,

Puerto Rico; Sagamore Hill,

Massachusetts; and Holloman Air

Force Base, New Mexico. The

AFWAs space weather operations

group at Offutt Air Force Base,

Nebraska, shares space weather data

and support responsibilities with its

civilian counterpart at SEC.

SEC serves as the international

World Warning Agency for the

International Space Environment

Service (ISES) (Figure 3-DOC-21). It

exchanges international data- solar

wind, X-ray, sunspot, corona, magnetic, and ionospheric measurements--in

real-time and, from these data, provides and meets additional specific

needs of other government agencies.

SEC distributes (receives) data to

(from) other countries and issues a

consensus set of daily forecasts for

international use. There is also a substantial and rapidly growing customer

base in the private sector.

SEC operates with observations

received from agencies that contribute

their data and, in return, receive the

synthesized and integrated services to

meet their needs. Agencies making

major contributions of data include:

DoD, NASA, DOC, NSF, DOE, and

DOI. SEC cooperates directly with

NESDIS to receive solar X-ray, particle, in situ magnetic field, and plasma

data from the Space Environment

Monitor (SEM) on GOES and the

polar-orbiting NOAA satellites. Data

are collected, stored, and displayed for

analysis and products and distributed

to outside customers primarily via the

Internet (www.sec.noaa.gov), by

NOAA Weather Wire, and digital data

links (primarily operated by other

agencies). Radio broadcast, mail, and

recorded telephone messages are available to users as well.

Research and development at SEC

emphasizes understanding of the fundamental physical processes governing

the regime from the solar surface,

through the interplanetary medium,

into the magnetospheric-ionospheric

regions, and ending in Earth's upper

atmosphere. These processes are manifest in the climatology and disturbances of Earth's magnetic field, the

ionosphere, the charged particle populations at satellite orbits, and the

atmospheric density at high altitudes

(including low-Earth orbit). SEC

research is focused on areas where

advanced applications can be develFigure 3-DOC-21. Coronal holes appear as dark areas of the corona when

viewed in ultraviolet light. This large hole area seen here on 10 September

2002 had a direct impact on Earth. Coronal holes are often the source of strong

solar wind gusts that carry solar particles into space. This one spewed a large

stream of charged particles out to our magnetosphere and beyond. Solar wind

streams take 2-3 days to travel from the Sun to Earth, so it probably originated

from the Sun about 9 September. On September 11, the solar wind was erratic

but definitely increased in velocity and density. Spaceweather.com reported

that a moderate geomagnetic storm from the solar wind stream triggered aurora

11 September that were visible from the higher latitudes on Earth.

The magnetic field lines in a coronal hole extend out into the solar wind

rather than coming back down to the Sun's surface as they do in other parts of

the Sun. Although they are usually located near the poles of the Sun, coronal

holes can occur other places as well. 

(SOHO web site: soho.nascom.nasa.gov/pickoftheweek/old/12sep2002/index.html)
SECTION 3 DOC 77

oped and prototyped to improve space

weather services, whereby the Nation

is served through alerts and warnings

of those conditions that can be often

hazardous to technological systems in

space and on the ground, and human

activities in space.

Solar Terrestrial Models and Theory:

SEC work is also devoted to research

of Earth's space environment and the

application of this research to space

weather operations. The staff has

expertise spanning from solar physics

to Earth's upper atmosphere, and maintains close collaborations throughout

the research community. They publish

regularly in scientific journals, and

work directly with the SEC SWO

group and the Systems Division to

develop state-of-the-art capabilities for

the NOAA/SEC forecast center.

Solar Terrestrial Instrumentation and

Data: The group ensures that space

environment data are processed, validated, interpreted, and disseminated in

an efficient, effective, and timely fashion. The group develops analysis tools

for working with data from a variety of

spacecraft, including the NOAA geosynchronous and polar orbiters, and

spacecraft in the solar wind. Data

access is provided through customized

data-analysis routines and individualized displays. In addition to enhancing

the utility and value of the primary

data through research and analysis, the

group explores sources of new data

and improved monitoring to support.

Solar Influences and Imaging: SEC

conducts research into understanding

processes on the Sun and the effects of

solar activity on the near-Earth space

environment. The group leads in the

development of techniques to process

and interpret both ground-based and

space-based solar imagery, and has

special expertise in solar X-ray imaging. To support space weather operations, the staff examines both short and

long-term solar influences on human

activities in space and on the ground.

Satellites: Developing space monitoring instrument specifications,

receiving and validating data from

these instruments, analyzing and presenting data, and archiving data in the

National Geophysical Data Center

(NGDC) are all aspects with which the

SEC is involved. The SEM instruments on the GOES and the Polarorbiting Operational Environment

Satellite (POES) are among SECs

major responsibilities. The SEM suite

on POES includes energetic particle

monitors and Solar Backscatter

UltraViolet (SBUV) instrument. The

SEM instruments on GOES include

magnetometers, energetic particle

monitors, and solar x-ray intensity

measurements. In addition, SEC cooperate with other agency satellite missions to provide real-time space weather information. These include the

NASA missions: WIND, ACE, and

IMAGE. SEC always emphasizes

improvement of space weather observations.

Solar X-Ray Imager: A Solar X-ray

Imager (SXI) telescope was launched

in 2001, checked out, and put in onorbit storage aboard the GOES-12

satellite, which became operational in

April 2003. The SXI provides images

of the solar atmosphere on time scales

of an image every minute. The SXI

telescope, based on recent research

instruments flown on American and

Japanese satellites, enables observations of the three-dimensional structure

of solar disturbances as they develop

and propagate in the solar atmosphere.

The new instrument will fill an important gap in the ability to model and predict space weather disturbances as they

propagate from the Sun to Earth. First

level integration of the SXI data into

space weather operations was completed early in FY 2002; so all was in

readiness to integrate SXI data into

operations when they first became

available.

GOES NO/PQ satellites: SEC will

be completing full implementation of

the ingest, processing, analysis, and

distribution of data from the new

instruments that allow measurements

of the environment immediately surrounding the satellite. The measurements, of low energy but dense radiation, will improve the capability to

specify conditions that can interrupt or

disable satellite operations. The use of

models being developed in the

research community and evaluated for

operational use in SEC will allow the

new measurements to be extrapolated

throughout near-earth space. With the

combination of new measurements and

models, the environment can be specified at any location for the hundreds of

satellites in geosynchronous orbit

around Earth.

Expanded use of the NOAA Space

Weather Scales and New Products:

Use of the NOAA scales for classifying space weather disturbances continued to increase through FY 2003.

Several new alert categories have been

developed and implemented to make

use of the scales in response to users

who find the scales offer more useable

information than previous, often overly technical alerts.

SEC has proposed and implemented

additional space weather products,

including new alerts and graphical

products; these have been assigned

World Meteorological Organization

(WMO) codes to facilitate the SEC

program to integrate space weather

products into the NOAA suite of

weather services. This continues a

series of implementations of space

weather products into the NOAA

Family of Services.

New products describing the location

and intensity of the energy put into the

atmosphere by the aurora were put in place

in FY 2001; this effort has continued,

using data from the POES.

SEC will participate directly in interagency programs directed at improving our

understanding of the space environment.

These include the Living With a Star

Program (a NASA program), and three
78 DOC SECTION 3 

cooperative campaigns covering the Sun,

Earth's magnetic field, and the ionosphere.

Use of Global Positioning System

(GPS) to measure the ionosphere:

SEC, in cooperation with FSL and with

support from the DoD, will continue to

develop a capability to measure the

ionosphere, including its electron content and height, through use of the

DoD Global Positioning System

(GPS). By recording thousands of

GPS signals each day and using data

assimilation techniques that allow the

measurements to be reversed, the ionosphere can be mapped, and predicted,

in greater detail than with current

measurement systems.

VOLUNTARY OBSERVING SHIP

(VOS) PROGRAM: OAR operates a

global VOS program that provides

real-time meteorological and oceanographic data from selected vessels.

Data are collected with the Shipboard

Environmental Data Acquisition

System, which transmits the information to NOAA via the GOES system.

The information is then disseminated

nationally and internationally using

existing data networks. Presently,

there are over 120 vessels in the program which record and transmit surface meteorological information four

times per day at synoptic hours. Of

these vessels, about 60 vessels are also

equipped to collect expendable

bathythermograph data.

Southern Hemisphere Drifting Buoy

Program. In support of Global Climate

Observing System (GCOS) requirements, OAR, in cooperation with

NWS, the Office of Global Programs

(OGP; housed within OAR), AOML,

and the Scripps Institution of

Oceanography, maintains a network of

approximately 100 meteorological

drifting buoys in the Southern

Hemisphere. The buoys measure sealevel atmospheric pressure, air temperature, and sea water temperature.

Observations are obtained through the

ARGOS data collection and platform

location system on-board the NOAA

polar-orbiting satellites.

The Tropical Atmosphere

Ocean/TRIangle Trans-Ocean buoy

Network (TAO/TRITON) array consists of approximately 70 Autonomous

Temperature Line Acquisition System

(ATLAS) and TRITON

moorings in the tropical

Pacific Ocean, telemetering oceanographic and

meteorological data to

shore in real-time via the

Argos satellite system.

Designed to improve

detection, understanding,

and prediction of El Niño,

TAO/TRITON is a major

component of the El

Niño/Southern Oscillation

(ENSO) Observing

System, the Global

Climate Observing System

(GCOS), and the Global

Ocean Observing System

(GOOS). The array is supported primarily by the

United States (NOAA) and

Japan (JAMSTEC) with

contributions from France

(IRD) and Taiwan (NTU). The mooring array is operated and maintained

by the TAO Project Office located at

PMEL in Seattle, Washington, which

has responsibility for project management, operations and logistics. These

buoys provide climate researchers,

weather prediction centers, and scientists around the world with real-time

data from the tropical Pacific. El Niño

(the warm phase of the ENSO cycle) is

associated with a disruption of the

ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific and has important consequences for weather around the globe.

The Pilot Research Moored Array in

the Tropical Atlantic (PIRATA) is a

project designed as an extension of the

TAO array into the Atlantic. The purpose of PIRATA is to study oceanatmosphere interactions in the tropical

Atlantic that are relevant to regional

climate variability on seasonal, interannual and longer time scales. It consists of an array of 12 ATLAS moorings similar to those deployed in the

Pacific.

Global Drifter Program. AOML

manages the deployment of drifting

buoys around the world, deploying

some 300 new drifters annually and

tracking nearly 700. Using research

ships, VOS, and United States Navy

aircraft, Global Lagrangian Drifters

(GLD) are placed in areas of interest.

Once verified operational, they are

reported to AOML's Data Assembly

Center (DAC). Incoming data from

the drifter are then placed on the

Global Telecommunications System

(GTS) for distribution to meteorological services everywhere. The primary

goal of this project is to assemble and

provide uniform quality control of SST

and surface velocity measurements.

These measurements are obtained as

part of an international program

designed to make this data available in

an effort to improve climate prediction.

Climate prediction models require

accurate estimates of SST to initialize

their ocean component. Drifting buoys
SECTION 3 DOC 79

provide essential ground truth SST

data for this purpose. The models also

require validation by comparison with

independent data sets. Surface velocity measurements are used for this validation.

ARGO--Global Array of Profiling

Floats--will deploy a global array of

3,000 profiling floats to better understand and forecast climate. ARGO

floats will be "parked" at 1,000 meters

depth and will profile the water column from the surface to 2,000 meters

depth. Observations will be made in

real-time. Along with satellites,

ARGO will initiate the oceanic equivalent of today's operational observing

system for the global atmosphere.

NOAA Ship RONALD H. BROWN.

NOAA recently installed and deployed

a 5-cm Doppler precipitation radar to

conduct studies of atmospheric

processes over the ocean

(Figure 3-DOC-22). The system has

been shown to not only be effective for

studying convective processes but also

processes associated with marine stratus clouds. In August-October of

2000, ETL installed and tested a novel

phased array, electronically stabilized

radar for measuring wind profiles

above the ocean. This profiler has been

used to monitor winds in several

upcoming field experiments (e.g.,

EPIC 2001, PACS 2001, AIRMAP

2002).

Figure 3-DOC-22. NOAA Research Vessel

Ronald H. Brown.

SECTION 3 DOC 81

The National Ocean Service (NOS)

monitors, assesses, and forecasts conditions in the coastal and oceanic environment to maintain a healthy, safe,

and economically productive coastal

and oceanic environment for present

and future generations. NOS is the primary civil agency within the federal

government responsible for the health

and safety of our nation's coastal and

oceanic environment. NOS acquires

water levels, currents, winds, and other

physical oceanographic and meteorological data, and distributes these data

and circulation predictions as elements

of an integrated NOS program to provide a comprehensive science-based

suite of information products required

by the marine transportation community to ensure safe and efficient marine

transportation, including the transport

of oil and other hazardous materials.

NOS also provides coastal oceanographic and meteorological products

required by the National Weather

Service (NWS) to meet its short-term

weather and forecasting responsibilities, including tsunami and storm surge

warnings. NOS manages several

observing systems and programs, however three in particular are heavily

linked to the capability of NOAA to

meet weather and water needs of the

nation.

National Water Level Observation

Network (NWLON). NOS manages

the NWLON, 175 stations located

along the coasts of the United States

and the Great Lakes, from which water

level data, as well as other oceanographic and meteorological data, are

collected and disseminated. NWLON

provides a number of NOAA and other

federal programs with data and supporting information, such as the

NOAA Nautical Charting Program,

NWS Tsunami Warning System, NWS

storm surge warning/forecast activities, and the Climate and Global

Change Program. An event triggered

or manually triggered NWLON modification is now operational that allows

emergency "Tsunami Warning" GOES

transmissions to NWS when the water

level exceeds a specified high/low

limit or when the rate of change

between the standard 6-minute water

level values exceeds a specified value.

A similar event triggered modification

is also operated for the NWS storm

surge warning program when expected

elevations are predicted or observed

during coastal storms and hurricanes.

Although not all NWLON stations are

presently equipped with meteorological sensors, an increasing number of

stations are each year.

Physical Oceanographic Real-Time

System (PORTS®). PORTS® is a

decision support tool which improves

the safety and efficiency of maritime

commerce and coastal resource manNATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE

Figure 3-DOC-23. New York/New Jersey PORTS: Bergen Point Composite.
82 DOC SECTION 3

agement through the integration of

real-time environmental observations,

forecasts, and other geospatial information. PORTS® measures and disseminates observations and predictions

of water levels, currents, salinity, and

many meteorological parameters, e.g.

winds, barometric pressure, and visibility, needed and requested by the

mariner to navigate safely. Highway

and railroad bridge mounted "Air Gap"

sensors for water level detection are

presently being developed and are

included in future plans for PORTS®.

The 10 existing PORTS® systems

come in a variety of sizes and configurations, each specifically designed to

meet local user requirements.

PORTS® are partnership programs in

which local operating partners fund the

installation and operation of the measurement systems. The largest of NOS's

existing installations is comprised of

over 26 separate instruments. The

smallest consists of a single water level

gauge and associated oceanographic

and meteorological instruments, i.e.

winds, barometric pressure, etc.

(Figure 3-DOC-23). Regardless of its

size, each PORTS® installation provides information that allows shippers

and port operators to maximize port

throughput while maintaining an adequate margin of safety for the increasingly large vessels visiting United

States ports. In addition, prevention of

maritime accidents is the most cost

effective measure that can be taken to

protect fragile coastal ecosystems.

One major oil spill, e.g. EXXON

VALDEZ, can cost billions of dollars

and destroy sensitive marine habitats

critical to supporting coastal marine

ecosystems. PORTS® provides information to make navigation safer, thus

reducing the likelihood of a maritime

accident, and also provides the information necessary to mitigate the damages from a spill, should one occur. An

extensible PORTS® can be integrated

with other marine transportation technologies such as Electronic Chart

Display Information Systems (ECDIS)

and Vessel Traffic Systems (VTS).

The integration of PORTS® technology and numerical circulation models

allows nowcasts and predictions of

parameters within the boundaries of the

models even at locations where physical measurements are not available.

The Chesapeake Bay Oceanographic

Forecasting System (CBOFS) is an

NOS project that provides forecasts of

total water level within the Bay in addition to the astronomical tidal prediction. The New York/New Jersey

Harbor nowcast/forecast model came

on line last year and will be followed

by a Houston/Galveston Bay nowcast/forecast model in 2004. Also,

ongoing research will enable PORTS®

or similar systems to incorporate biological and chemical sensor systems

and forecast models as required and

integrate the information with circulation measurements to provide information on transports of materials in the

ecosystem essential for effective

marine resource management and

homeland security.

The NOS Continuous Real-Time

Monitoring System (CORMS).

CORMS was designed to operate on a

24hour/7 days a week basis to ensure

the accuracy of tide and current observations acquired via the NWLON and

PORTS® programs. CORMS

improves the overall data quality

assurance of real-time measurements,

reduces NOAA's potential liability

from disseminating inadequate data,

and makes the observations more useful for all applications. CORMS

ingests real-time data from all field

sensors and systems, including the

operational nowcast/forecast models,

determines data quality, and identifies

and communicates the presence of

invalid or suspect data to real-time

users/customers who rely on the data.

CORMS is especially vigilant during

storm and tsunami events to ensure the

full set of products and services is

being disseminated in a timely fashion.

An advanced version of this system,

CORMS AI, is presently in developmental stages (Figure 3-DOC-24).

Figure 3-DOC-24. PORTS sites in the New York and

New Jersey linked by CORMS.
SECTION 3 DOC 83

The Aircraft Operations Center

(AOC) provides aircraft support too

many NOAA missions, several of them

associated with the Natural Disaster

Reduction Initiative (NDRI). In particular, AOC operates a fleet of aircraft

to support NOAA's research and development programs to improve weather,

marine, and climate services

(Figure 3-DOC-25). AOC provides

three large aircraft for hurricane reconnaissance and surveillance support to

NOAA's National Hurricane/Tropical

Prediction Center (NHC/TPC), as well

as flight services to other federal agencies and international programs

approved by NOAA's Aircraft

Allocation Council. AOC's light aircraft and helicopters provide hydrologic data for soil moisture forecasts, aerial photography and remote sensing for

nautical and aeronautical charting, and

living marine resources surveys.

AOC was established in October

1983, through a consolidation of all

existing NOAA organizations and elements operating NOAA aircraft. This

consolidation was accomplished to

achieve a more efficient, more economical, and safer operation of NOAA

aircraft. Fourteen aircraft, located

throughout the United States, are managed by AOC from its home base at

MacDill AFB in Tampa, Florida.

NOAA's atmospheric and oceanographic research, as well as its reconnaissance operations, are supported by

two WP-3D Lockheed Orion aircraft

which carry a full array of state-of-theart environmental research instrumentation. The aircraft research and navigation systems provide detailed spatial and

temporal observations of a wide range of

atmospheric and oceanic parameters.

AOC develops and calibrates specialized instruments, integrates user-supplied instrumentation into its automated

data recording systems, and processes

and analyzes data sets collected during

various field programs.

The AOC WP-3D aircraft, while

executing the complex patterns for

hurricane research, also provided

storm data to the NHC in near real

time, transmitting flight level data,

dropwindsonde messages, as well as

radar images via its aircraft-satellite

data link. The AOC aircraft also augmented the Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft during particularly

active storm periods when tasking

requirements exceed their available

resources.

AOC has integrated into its operations a high-altitude jet, the G-IV,

which is used for hurricane surveillance. This aircraft flies in the environment surrounding hurricanes at altitudes up to 45,000 feet. The G-IV dispenses GPS dropwindsondes and

transmits the resulting profiles of thermodynamic and wind information to

the National Center for Environmental

Prediction (NCEP) and the NHC for

inclusion into their computer prediction models. Recent estimates of the

improvement in hurricane track predictions is between 20 and 30 percent, and

these improvements have resulted in

savings of $10 million or more per hurricane in warning and preparedness

costs. With its high-altitude capability,

the G-IV is the central focus for additional research leading to improvements in hurricane intensity forecasts.

The G-IV aircraft is also beginning to

be used for air chemistry studies and

other research in the upper troposphere.

Land falling hurricanes, a major subject of the United States Weather

Research Program and NDRI, receive

particular attention from AOC aircraft.

During the 2002 hurricane season, the

G-IV and WP-3D aircraft flew a combined total of nearly 350 surveillance,

reconnaissance, and research hours on

tropical storms including those that

made or nearly made landfall in the

continental United States. AOC's two

P-3's conducted three major research

experiments during the hurricane season in support of the Atlantic

Oceanographic and Meteorological

Laboratory's Hurricane Research

Division (HRD), the University of

Miami's Rosenstiel School for Marine

and Atmospheric Sciences (RSMAS),

and the National Environmental

Satellite, Data and Information Service

(NESDIS). Both WP-3D's participated

in a study of the impact of ocean heat

content on hurricane intensity for HRD

and RSMAS and collected a phenomenal data set on two major hurricanes,

Isidore and Lili.

NOAA 42, carrying a suite of scatterometer instruments developed by

the University of Massachusetts, conducted an Ocean Winds Experiment

collecting data on ocean surface winds

in high wind, high precipitation condiOFFICE OF NOAA CORPS OPERATIONS

AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS CENTER

Figure 3-DOC-25. NOAA AOC

WP-3D Lockheed Orion and G-IV

aircraft.
84 DOC SECTION 3 

tions to calibrate and validate similar

sensors located aboard NOAA satellites. In support of this project, NOAA

42 flew a number of missions into

Hurricane Gustav, Tropical Storm

Hana, Hurricane Isidore and Hurricane

Lili. Data sets for a wide range of

wind speeds, up to almost 150 kts, and

for rain rates up to in excess of 40

mm/hour were obtained during this

program.

During the hurricane season

NOAA 43, in support of HRD and

RSMAS, commenced the first year of

a three-year program in support of the

Office of Naval Research's high wind

Coupled Boundary Layer Air Sea

Transfer Experiment (CBLAST)

Experiment and the Synoptic

Ocean/Atmosphere Measurements

project. The first year's effort for

CBLAST was aimed at perfecting both

the instrumentation to be used in the

project as well as operational flight

strategies to obtain measurements in

the hurricane boundary layer. The

CBLAST objectives were successfully

accomplished on missions into both

Hurricane Isidore and Lili.

The Synoptic Ocean/Atmosphere

Measurements endeavor was a major

research project with the long-term

goal of understanding the upper

ocean's role in hurricane intensity

changes. This project, which involved

examining variability of the ocean's

heat content caused by vertical current

shear and advection of horizontal currents using expendable bathythermographs (AXBT), current probes

(AXCP) and CTD probes, achieved a

major success during the 2002 hurricane season as a world class data set

was obtained on both Hurricane

Isidore and Hurricane Lili. Data

obtained in the latter storm may be of

great significance in determining why

Lili went from a Category 4 storm to a

Category 1 storm in 24 hours.

Outside of the hurricane season

NOAA 42 had a very active year

engaging in four additional research

experiments flown out of Seattle,

Washington, Portland, Oregon and

Monterey, California. The observations made during the first of these

experiments, Improvement of

Microphysical PaRameterization

through Observational Verification

Experiment (IMPROVE), will be used

to guide the design of cloud and precipitation microphysical parameterizations for the WRF numerical weather

prediction (NWP) model now under

development. The WRF is anticipated

to become the principal NOAA/NCEP

model for short-term forecasting. The

aircraft also successfully completed

two joint experiments, Ocean Winds

Winter for NESDIS and a continuation

of the ongoing Pacific Land-falling Jet

Experiment (PACJET), from a base in

Portland, OR in January and February

2002.

In April 2003, a completely reconfigured NOAA 42 participated in the

International Transport and Chemical

Transformation (ITCT) experiment for

NOAA's Aeronomy Laboratory, operating from Monterey Peninsula airport

in Monterey, California. During this

experiment, the scientists aboard this

flying chemistry laboratory investigated how the emission, chemical processing, and removal of compounds of

anthropogenic origin influenced the

regional budgets of ozone and fine particles, and to what extent North

America is affected by upwind pollution sources whose emissions are

transported by the prevailing winds

across the Pacific to the U.S. west

coast.

NOAA 43 spent the balance of 2003

undergoing depot level maintenance at

the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville,

Florida. Following its return to AOC

and reinstallation of equipment, it participated in the annual Hurricane

Awareness Tour, this year along the

Gulf Coast.

NOAA 49, AOC's high altitude

G-IV, had a busy winter season flying

numerous winter storm missions for

NCEP from Honolulu International

Airport in Hawaii in January and

February. During this period, the aircraft also flew several missions in supLandfalling winter storms along

the California/Oregon/Washington

coasts annually cause more property

damage and more deaths than earthquakes or any other natural disasters

along the West Coast. For several

years, one of AOC's WP-3D aircraft

has participated in a study of these

landfalling events in both a research

and reconnaissance mode. During

2001, AOC provided one of its P-3's

to participate in this very important

study. Operating out of Monterey,

California, in January, February, and

the first part of March, this aircraft

flew numerous missions in support

of this program, providing real-time

information to local NWS forecast

offices thereby leading to improved

wind and precipitation forecasts.

This on-going study extends well

into the 2004 flying season.
SECTION 3 DOC 85

port of an FAA-sponsored clear air turbulence project. The data obtained

from dropwindsondes and aircraft sensors will be used to improve forecasts

of potential commercial aircraft turbulent events in the jetstream region over

the North Pacific.

The AOC Shrike Commander

N51RF and Turbo Commander N53RF

aircraft flew 514 hours in support of

the Snow Survey Program during

2002. Each aircraft is loaded with the

world's premier gamma radiation spectrometers, enabling the aircraft to

measure the very low levels of naturally occurring gamma radiation. This

naturally occurring radiation is emitted

from trace elements of potassium, uranium and thorium radioisotopes in the

upper 20cm of soil. Water mass in the

snow cover blocks the terrestrial radiation signal. The deeper the snow, the

weaker the signal picked up by the sensors. Consequently, analysts can use

the difference between airborne radiation measurements made over bare

ground and snow-covered ground to

calculate an equivalent value with an

error of less than one cm. Water equivalent snow measurements are invaluable to the hydrologists of NOAA's

NWS, who the data to estimate snow

melt runoff and provide early warnings

of potential flooding. Agencies within

the state governments, the

Environment Canada, and the United

States Army Corps of Engineers also

use the data as a water resource management tool, estimating reservoir

recharge and predicting river flow

rates into various bodies of water, such

as like the Great Lake.

AOC's Twin Otter, N48RF was used

in the BRACE (Bay Region

Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment)

project flown in the Tampa Bay region

of Florida. Atmospheric forms of

nitrogen and other pollutants were

sampled in-flight via state-of-the-art

scientific instruments, while seven

ground sites measured in-situ simultaneously. The high levels of nitrates

and ammonia in the Florida coastal

waters have been recognized as a serious problem, causing a decline in the

native sea grasses which support the

rest of the ecosystem. Marine aquatic

life such as shrimp, fish, crabs and

manatee depend on adequate levels of

sea grass for their existence. Airborne

measurements give the researchers

advantages by directly reading the pollutants exiting from exhaust stacks, in

addition to the dispersed values

obtained at the ground sites. Inorganic

compounds such as ozone, carbon

monoxide and sulfur dioxide were also

measured.

Hurricane Isadores feeder bands. (AOC Photo)
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

The Air Force (AF) functional manager for meteorological and space

environmental services is the Director

of Weather within the Headquarters

United States Air Force, Deputy Chief

of Staff for Air and Space Operations

(HQ USAF/XOW). The Air Force

Director of Weather (AF/XOW) oversees the development and implementation of operational concepts, doctrine,

policies, plans, and programs to provide effective environmental information for the AF, Army, and other agencies as directed by the Chief of Staff,

United States Air Force (USAF). The

AF provides environmental information to DoD Joint operations as directed by the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS)

under the Unified Action Armed

Forces (JCS Publication O-2) document. The AF/XOW interfaces with

other military departments, federal

agencies, and international organizations concerning coordination, cooperation, standardization, and interoperability of weather services.

Air Force Weather (AFW)

Organization. AFW is a Total Force

organization, employing the active

forces as well as Air Force Reserve

(AFR) and Air National Guard (ANG)

weather personnel. The active component of AFW has recently completed

reengineering to mirror the three levels

of military operations--strategic, theater (operational), and tactical. The

Air Force Weather Agency (AFWA) is

a field operating agency (FOA) reporting directly to AF/XOW. AFWA

serves as Lead Command for AFW,

maximizing our nation's air, space and

ground combat effectiveness by delivering accurate, relevant, and timely

strategic-level terrestrial and space

weather information to worldwide customers in addition to fulfilling certain

unique mission requirements. The

FOA, located at Offutt Air Force Base

(AFB), Nebraska, consists of a strategic processing center collocated with a

functional management headquarters;

two subordinate units, the Air Force

Combat Climatology Center (AFCCC)

at Asheville, North Carolina, and the

Air Force Combat Weather Center

(AFCWC) at Hurlburt Field, Florida;

and seventeen detachments and operating locations. AFWA creates and

maintains the world's most comprehensive weather database of atmospheric forecast, climatological, and

space weather products. Additionally,

AFWA provides backup support to five

national weather centers.

There are eight Operational Weather

Squadrons (OWS) that assess weather

data and develop theater-level environmental information tailored to overseas

theater Combatant Commander and/or

Numbered Air Force (NAF) operations

(Figure 3-DoD-1). Each OWS is designated as the forecast agency for a

specific geographical area of responsibility (AOR) in concert with their associated NAFs or Theater's AOR.

Continental United States (CONUS)

OWSs are also responsible for

CONUS regional weather information.

OWSs provide theater-scale, tailored,

environmental information to active

duty as well as AFR and ANG units.

They produce and disseminate terminal forecasts, weather warnings and

advisories, planning and execution

area forecasts, and other operational

products to AF Combat Weather

Teams (CWTs) using the OWS

Production System Phase II (OPS II).

This system provides a capability to

integrate strategic-level and indigenous data to automatically and manually generate weather forecast products,

and supports the dissemination of these

products to CWTs and other users.

Recent improvements include

automating pilot briefing forms, and

enhancing operations in the classified

environment.

CWTs, located at base and post level,

take and disseminate local observations and provide mission-tailored

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE WEATHER PROGRAMS

The Department of Defense (DOD) operates a military environmental service system to provide specialized worldwide meteorological, space environmental and oceanographic analysis and prediction

services in support of military forces. This system directly supports all phases of military operations,

from strategic planning to tactical operations. While the Army and Marine Corps each have a small

specialized weather support capability, the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command and Air

Force Weather are the primary sources of military weather products. The military weather services contribute to the national and international weather observing capability by taking conventional observations on land and at sea where there are no other conventional weather observing capabilities and where the observations are most needed to meet military requirements. In addition, DOD maintains specialized observing capabilities,

such as the Defense Meteorological Satellite and Global Weather Intercept Programs, to meet unique military requirements. Observational data are sent by military communications networks to military and civil facilities in the United

States and overseas.

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

SECTION 3 DOD 87
88 DOD SECTION 3

forecasts and briefings at the tactical

level based on centrally produced

guidance. The CWTs perform the

"eyes forward" mission of the OWSs.

Using the New Tactical Forecast

System (NTFS) as the primary tool,

the CWTs provide tailored mission

forecasts to the operator. These forecasts include tactical decision aids and

target scene simulations to enhance

mission performance on the battlefield.

AFW continues to progress on integrating weather information directly

from CWTs and OWSs into command

and control systems. In the deployed

environment, the CWTs bring experienced weather personnel to support

battlefield operations. To do this, they

deploy with the NTFS, the newly

acquired hand-held Kestral observing

system at very sparse locations, the

TMQ-53 semi-automated observing

system for the less mobile sites, and, in

some cases, tactical weather radars.

In addition to the active duty force,

approximately 82 weather personnel

serve as AFR individual mobilization

augmentees assigned to various active

AFW units at all levels. They typically train one day each month and for an

additional two weeks each year.

The ANG program consists of two

distinct functions. The traditional program consists of 33 weather flights,

ranging in size from 13 to 25 personnel. The flights meet monthly to train

for their wartime missions and provide

weather information to Army National

Guard and United States Army

Reserve units as well as ANG flying

units. The ANG operates the Weather

Readiness Training Center at Camp

Blanding in Starke, Florida, to provide

Army tactical skills training that is not

available elsewhere in the Air Force.

The ANG is also responsible for peacetime weather operations at locations

where the ANG is responsible for airfield support.

AFW is currently engaged in reengineering the AFR and ANG weather

forces to more closely align operations

with active duty forces. Total Force

AFW personnel enhance the unique

global capability of ground and aerospace military operations, while indirectly assisting civil aviation by providing flight weather briefings,

air/ground radio services, and tailored

observations, forecasts, watches, and

warnings for military operations.

AFW Five Core Processes.

To fulfill its global mission of providing timely, accurate, and relevant

weather information, AFW maintains

and continually improves on its five

Figure 3-DOD-1. Areas of Responsibility for Air Force Weathers Operational Weather Squadrons.
SECTION 3 DOD 89

core processes: data collection, analysis, forecasting, product tailoring, and

dissemination. The following paragraphs provide more information on

each of these areas.

Weather Data Collection integrates

the spectrum of remote and fixed sensors into a single meteorological sensing and instrumentation approach for

battlefield and in-garrison operations.

Data collection in the space environment is discussed later, in the Space

Environmental Services section. AFW

personnel take observations essential

for effective military operations and

for weather analysis and forecasting.

Weather personnel at both AF and

Army locations (fixed and tactical)

make observations available to local

users and transmit them to military and

civil locations throughout the world.

Upper air observations provide vital

input to numerical weather analysis

and prediction. United States and foreign rawinsonde reports are primary

sources and are supplemented with

military and civilian pilot reports. The

Observing System 21st Century

(OS-21) program will provide a muchneeded, state-of-the-art, life-cycle

replacement for Air Force observing

equipment. OS-21 includes five different configurations: fixed, deployable,

remote, manual, and upper air. The

manual configuration is intended for

tactical operations and continues the

improvements begun under the Manual

Observing System and Tactical

Meteorological Observing System

Modification programs. AFW has

begun fielding the fixed base automated observing system and will continue

to do so over the next 2-3 years. The

remaining configurations will be

upgraded or replaced after the fielding

of the fixed base automated systems

nears completion.

Weather radar data is a principal

source of information needed to produce severe weather warnings. Within

the CONUS, AFW uses the WSR-88D.

DoD, the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA),

and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operate and maintain the

WSR-88Ds within CONUS, and the

AF operates and maintains the overseas WSR-88Ds. Newly acquired

Tactical Weather Radars (TWR),

which will provide a weather radar

capability for worldwide military contingency operations, will replace

already existing radars at deployed

locations and at select fixed locations

overseas.

The Defense Meteorological

Satellite Program (DMSP), which provides a large volume of cloud, upper

air, and space environmental data, is a

vital source of global weather data

used to support combat operations.

On-board sensors provide AFWA and

the Navy's Fleet Numerical

Meteorology and Oceanography

Center with visible, infrared, and

microwave imagery of the entire

globe, temperature and moisture

sounding data, electrically charged

particle fluxes, and other specialized

space environment data. DMSP also

supplies direct, real-time readout of

regional imagery and mission-sensor

data to DoD land-based and shipboard

terminals located worldwide.

The present DMSP satellite series

(Block 5D-2) uses the Operational

Linescan System to provide visible

imagery to distinguish between clouds,

ground, snow, and water. The DMSP

also flies microwave temperature and

moisture sounders (SSM/T and

SSM/T-2). Processing algorithms convert the sensed data into vertical temperature, moisture, and height profiles

of the atmosphere, providing key data

for numerical analysis and forecasting.

The microwave imager (SSM/I)

observes rainfall, ocean surface wind

speed, cloud and soil moisture, ice

conditions, and other environmental

data. The space environment on the

topside of the ionosphere is measured

in situ by the topside plasma monitor

(SSIES), a magnetometer (SSM), and

the precipitating particle monitor

(SSJ), providing inputs to space weather models. The Block 5D-3 spacecraft

are scheduled to begin service in 2003

with the launch of DMSP Flight 16.

The new spacecraft will add several

new capabilities: enhanced microwave

imaging and atmospheric temperature/moisture sounding through the

Special Sensor Microwave Imager/

Sounder (SSMIS); new auroral boundary and electron density measuring

capability through the Special Sensor

Ultraviolet Spectrographic Imager

(SSUSI); and profiles of upper-atmospheric temperature, electron content,

and species densities through the

Special Sensor Ultraviolet Limb

Imager (SSULI).

AFW continues to participate in the

refinement of requirements for the

National Polar-orbiting Operational

Environmental Satellite System

(NPOESS). NPOESS will replace the

existing DMSP and NOAA polar-orbiting satellite systems beginning in

approximately 2009 and is a joint

DoD, DoC, and National Aeronautics

and Space Administration (NASA)

program. A new ground terminal system will also provide a direct readout

capability for tactical users similar to

that of the DMSP. AFW also expects

to gain operational experience as well

as benefit from the risk reduction

planned with the NPOESS Preparatory

Program planned for launch in

CY 2005.

In addition to DMSP polar-orbiting

data, AFWA receives stored data from

the DoC's Polar-orbiting Operational

Environmental Satellite constellation

and real-time high-resolution data

from the DoC's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)

East and West, the European Union's

Meteosat-5, Meteosat-6, and

Meteosat-7 geostationary satellites,

and Japan's Geostationary Meteorological Satellite-5. AFWA receives

data files from India's INSAT-1D geostationary satellite, as well as NASA's
90 DOD SECTION 3

Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission

(TRMM), NASA's scatterometer mission, QuikSCAT, and NASA's

Moderate Resolution Imaging

Spectroradiometer (MODIS), via the

Shared Processing Program.

To receive real-time visible, infrared,

and microwave imagery and other nonimagery weather data from both polarorbiting and geostationary satellites,

the AFW implemented the Joint METSAT Imagery, Software, and Terminals

(JMIST) concept. JMIST leverages

network and satellite communications,

direct read-out terminals, and client

applications.

The Air Force Reserve Command's

53rd Weather Reconnaissance

Squadron (53 WRS), also known as the

"Hurricane Hunters," provides another

means of collecting vital meteorological data, especially in and around tropical cyclones. Their specially

equipped WC-130 aircraft collect temperature, moisture, wind, pressure, and

visually observed information at the

aircraft location as well as vertical profiles of the atmosphere collected by

dropsondes. They penetrate the eyes

of tropical cyclones to provide the

National Hurricane Center a very accurate center fix location as well as other

meteorological parameters, including

sea level pressure. In addition to the

tropical cyclone reconnaissance mission, the 53 WRS collects meteorological information to improve wintertime

West Coast forecasts and to support

scientific field programs when possible. For more information, see their

web site at http://www.hurricanehunters.com/.

Analysis and Forecasting. AFWA is

the AF's strategic production center for

weather analyses and forecasts while

the OWSs are the theater-scale production centers for AF and Army operations. AFWA uses networked computer systems and an interactive graphics

and imagery system to implement a

"build-and-apply" concept. Worldwide conventional weather data are

relayed to AFWA and combined with

civil and military meteorological satellite data to construct a real-time, integrated environmental database.

Computer programs further process the

data to construct models of the atmosphere and forecast its future behavior.

Manual tailoring of the data is critical

for application to the specific needs of

the warfighters. The interaction

between forecaster and machine is

accomplished using the Satellite Data

Handling System (SDHS) at the strategic center; the OWS Production

System (OPS-II) at the operational

level; and the NTFS at the tactical

level.

AFWA has organized forecast operations to achieve greater flexibility and

focus on primary missions. Forecasts

are generated in the agency's Global

Weather Center Division, which consists of four production branches:

Special Support Operations, Space

Weather, National Intelligence

Community (NIC) Weather, and

Meteorological Satellite Applications.

The Special Support Operations

Branch (SSOB) acts as an OWS for

Special Operations Forces (SOF) and

provides worldwide mission-tailored

forecasting to Joint SOF operations.

The branch acts as a clearinghouse for

unique data requests from the SOF

community; provides tailored meteorological information for end-to-end

special operations planning at US

Special Operations Command, the

component level; and for theater special operations commands. The SSOB

is continually involved in worldwide

military operations to include

Operations ENDURING FREEDOM

and IRAQI FREEDOM. They provide

a myriad of products ranging from air

refueling forecasts, to detailed mission

control forecasts, to weather impacts

for SOF operations, and distribute this

information via secure media.

Additionally, the SSOB includes the

American Forces Network Weather

Center which provides worldwide,

broadcast-quality public weather services and planning forecasts through the

American Forces Radio and Television

Service to over 800,000 DoD and

Department of State personnel and

family members stationed overseas.

The Space Weather Operations

Center (Space WOC) provides worldwide general and tailored analyses,

forecasts, advisories, and warnings of

space weather phenomena that affect

military operations and National

Intelligence Community activities.

The Space WOC supports all DoD

Services using space weather measurements from an integrated, global network of ground- and space-based sensors. Data sharing and forecast coordination exists between the NOAA

Space Environment Center (SEC) in

Boulder, Colorado and the Space

WOC and results in a synergistic capability to reach both military and civilian operators. Due to an increasing

dependence on space-based systems

such as precision-guided munitions,

satellite communications, and modern

guidance and radar systems, space

environmental impacts are a key and

growing field critical to military operations. The reliance on the Global

Positioning Systems (GPS) and its vulnerability to ionospheric storms compel military planners and commanders

to apply an awareness of space environmental information to all phases of

military operations. This was true in

Operations ENDURING FREEDOM

and NOBLE EAGLE; it is true in routine daily operations as well.

The National Intelligence

Community Weather Branch provides
SECTION 3 DOD 91

weather information that includes

detailed global cloud analyses and

forecasts to the intelligence community. The branch employs the NIC

Weather Operations Cell that provides

worldwide mission-tailored planning

and execution forecasts for National

Intelligence Community agencies at

security levels up to Top

Secret/Sensitive Compartmented

Information (TS/SCI). The branch

also serves as the focal point for

AFWA Special Access Program (SAP)

requirements; ensures the National

Intelligence Community and other SCI

and SAP meteorological requirements

are integrated into AFWA programs;

monitors and evaluates accuracy and

timeliness of centralized weather services to the National Intelligence

Community; and interfaces with the

DoD and National Intelligence

Community regarding weather services and exploitation of weather information.

The Meteorological Satellite

(METSAT) Applications Branch provides operational imagery analyses

production, technique development,

technology insertion, and product

improvement. The branch produces

rapid response, tailored METSAT

imagery and evaluation for DoD contingency operations and generates

automated METSAT imagery products

for web-based distribution to DoD customers. The branch tracks and classifies tropical cyclones for the DoD Joint

Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) and

the DoC National Hurricane Center;

serves as the DoD focal point for volcanic ash plume detection, advisories,

and trajectory forecasts; and provides

hot back up for both JTWC satellite

operations and the DoC's Washington

Volcanic Ash Advisory Center. The

METSAT Applications Branch produces worldwide snow and ice cover

analyses to update and refine the Snow

Depth database and also provides tailored snow depth and dust event analyses in contingency areas. During

Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, branch

imagery specialists provided high-resolution analyses of oil fire initiation

points for smoke plume dispersion

forecast model products. These smoke

plumes impacted both air and land

operations. Advance notice allowed

mission planners to modify operations

to maximize mission effectiveness.

The branch also develops new capabilities to display and visualize satellite

imagery on workstations and infuses

state-of-the-art techniques into

improved imagery analysis ensuring

high quality customer products.

The recently completed Global

Theater Weather Analysis and

Prediction System (GTWAPS) program has improved interaction of the

strategic, OWS theater-level, and

CWT tactical-level forecasting systems. The key software component of

the GTWAPS program is a theater

analysis and forecast model,

Mesoscale Model version 5 (MM5),

which provides fine-scale forecast data

with improved accuracy. During

Operation ENDURING FREEDOM,

AFWA initiated various model window

locations and resolutions as mission

requirements dictated. The highly

responsive nature of the MM5 and the

way AFWA employs it, permitted new

contingency windows to be operational

within hours. Advancements in cloud

modeling have enabled GTWAPS to

produce high-resolution products that

became a mainstay of weather data

during Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Used by Predator Unmanned

Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Global Hawk

UAV, and space-based reconnaissance

operators, these products allowed decision-makers to choose the most effective reconnaissance platform to maximize mission effectiveness. MM5 is

routinely provided by AFWA to the

NOAA National Centers for

Environmental Prediction (NCEP),

where it is a backup to their ETA

model.

On-going modernization initiatives

at AFWA include the Space Weather

Analysis and Forecasting System

(SWAFS) and the Weather Data

Analysis (WDA) program. SWAFS

will integrate additional space weather

data sources and execute next-generation space weather models for DoD

and National Intelligence Community

operations. WDA will continue the

modernization of the AFWA as the

strategic center component of the Air

Force Weather Weapon System

(AFWWS). The reengineered AFWA

will provide component-based and

standards-compliant hardware, software tools, a central data cloud, and a

classified processing environment to

modernize the AFWWS communications and data processing infrastructure. WDA provides a significant

increase in the database capacity and

capability by standing up Joint DoDapproved METOC database segments

that will begin an era of Common

Operating Environment compliance

and interoperability among data sharers.

OWSs provide theater-scale battlespace forecasts; drop zone, range, and

aerial refueling track forecasts; finescale target forecasts; and airfield forecasts and warnings for AF and Army

installations within their AOR. Their

primary tool is the OWS Production

System, Phase II (OPS-II), which

ingests data and strategic center information and creates and disseminates

theater-scale products. 

Product Tailoring/Warfighter

Applications. Progressive focusing

and tailoring of weather information is

the heart of the AFW organization,

leading to individual mission-specific

information provided at the CWT

level. An example of specific mission

tailoring performed for an emerging

system still in testing is the Global

Hawk high-altitude reconnaissance

system and the turbulence forecasts

provided by the weather personnel.

The Forecasting System 21st

Century (FS-21) program is the vehicle
92 DOD SECTION 3

for providing necessary computer

hardware and software throughout all

levels of AFW (AFWA, OWSs, and

CWTs). The OPS-II is the backbone of

the OWS production system. This

hybrid system of databases, servers,

and workstations, provides the computer hardware and software necessary

for OWSs to produce and disseminate

forecast products to CWTs.

The New Tactical Forecast System

(N-TFS) provides garrison and

deployed CWT personnel with the

meteorological tools to manipulate and

disseminate graphical and alphanumeric products (satellite imagery,

graphical forecast products, weather

forecasts, advisories, briefings, observations, etc.) to Army and AF operational, command and control, and support forces worldwide. N-TFS provides weather personnel the ability to

use the same system in "peace and

war," providing a "first in" and sustainment weather forecast capability to

combat weather units worldwide.

Additionally, N-TFS ingests data from

AF observing systems and observations from indigenous sources, which

then are forwarded to OWSs/AFWA

for further dissemination and incorporation into the centrally produced models. Data from the N-TFS, combined

with satellite imagery from the STT,

provide the essential capability

required for deployed weather units to

meet operational requirements. AFW

is currently working toward a single

workstation that integrates both the

Army's Integrated Meteorological

System (IMETS), the AFs NTFS, and

provides the interface capability for

command and control systems.

Tactical Decision Aids (TDAs) provide warfighters an automated way to

"visualize" environmental impacts on

operations. These tools, which continue to be integrated into command and

control systems and mission planning

systems, include Target Acquisition

Weapon Software (TAWS)

(Figure 3-DOD-2), Night Vision

Goggles Operations Weather Software

(NOWS), InfraRed Target Scene

Simulation (IRTSS), and Joint

Environmental Exploitation Segment

(JEES). All are modular programs

developed by the Air Force Research

Laboratory (AFRL) with additional

assistance from the Navy's Space and

Naval Warfare Systems Command, the

Navy Research Laboratory and the

Army Research Laboratory. TAWS

provides a mission-planning tool to

combine platform, weapon, target,

background, and weather impacts to

depict three-dimensional target acquisition and lock-on range versus time.

NOWS (soon to be integrated into

TAWS) provides environmental

impacts on night vision goggles used

by aircrews, naval, and ground forces

to execute nighttime operations,

including search and rescue. IRTSS

uses detailed terrain information and

multi-spectral imagery with TAWS

processing to generate forecast target

scene images for mission rehearsal.

JEES uses environmental data with

TAWS modules to automatically generate mission impact forecasts for large

scale planning efforts such as Air

Tasking Order preparation. JEES,

TAWS, NOWS, and IRTSS integrate

environmental impacts into the

Mission Execution Forecast for

Command and Control and Mission

Planning Systems from zero to 48

hours prior to mission execution. The

TDA program continues to add

weapons systems, targets, and other

features at the request of operational

customers from all three services.

During Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, the WarWeather program provided additional targets requested

specifically for application with TAWS

and NOWS in operations.

The space weather branch produces

tailored forecasts to model space

weather impact to High Frequency

(HF) and Ultra-HF SATCOM communications. These products leverage

space weather expertise at AFWA for

all theaters. A point-to-point communication forecast can be tailored to proFigure 3-DOD-2. Tactical Acquisition Weapon Software (TAWS) integrate

meteorological conditions and environmental parameters to enhance the mission planning process and increase aircrew situational awareness for mission

execution.
SECTION 3 DOD 93

vide users the optimal HF frequencies

to use between two locations. Also,

signal fades due to space weather on

UHF SATCOM links provide valuable

planning information to command and

control.

Dissemination. AFW dissemination

employs a variety of media to meet the

needs of its worldwide customer base.

High-speed communications between

large DoD and civilian processing centers facilitate sharing of data, high-resolution satellite imagery, and output

from numerical weather prediction

models. Additional circuits provide a

subset of these data to the OWS facilities.

Forecaster-developed products and

gridded data sets are distributed from

AFWA via the Communications FrontEnd Processor to base and post weather stations worldwide using dedicated

circuits and the Internet. Alphanumeric data including surface, upperair, aircraft reports, and space weather

are also collected and distributed via

the AWN, VSAT, and the DoD's NonSecure Internet Protocol Router

Network (NIPRNET).

The AWN is a global communications network used for collecting and

distributing alphanumeric terrestrial

and space weather data throughout the

AF Weather Weapon System; Navy

and Army weather systems; and federal and foreign meteorological, space,

and aviation centers and consists of

sophisticated data collection, message

creation, and dissemination software.

DoD data is also received from DoDoperated HF radio receiver sites strategically positioned around the globe to

intercept weather broadcasts. These

broadcasts originate from nations that

do not routinely make data available

through World Meteorological

Organization channels.

AFWA receives alphanumeric

weather data, parses them according to

data type, eliminates duplicate reports

from different sources, and creates specially tailored bulletins. Some of these

bulletins are sent to the large processing centers to provide the input data for

global, regional, and fine-scale forecast models. Other bulletins are redistributed to end-users over dedicated

circuits, NIPRNET, and satellite

broadcast facilities.

AFW operates a website on the

NIPRNET known as the Joint Air

Force-Army Weather Information

Network (JAAWIN). JAAWIN provides worldwide access to numerical

model forecast graphics, satellite

imagery, forecaster-in-the-loop graphics, and text bulletins. Additional

products are available to classified customers via the JAAWIN-Secret

(JAAWIN-S) and JAAWIN-Sensitive

Compartmented Information

(JAAWIN-SCI) capabilities.

An additional means of making tailored weather information available to

DoD customers includes the Joint

Weather Impacts System (JWIS).

JWIS provides a link to weather information from both AF and Navy

sources for use by command and control systems and applications. AFW

successfully demonstrated JWIS during Joint Expeditionary Force

Experiment 2000, and integrated an

initial capability into the Combined Air

Operations Center-Experimental in

2001.

Finally, AFWA continued to enhance

its presence on the AF Portal, an initial

"one-stop gateway" capability established in 2001 to provide weather and

other information to any AF user or

activity. AFWA will continue expanding this capability in FY 2004.

Unique Requirements. A special

aspect of the military weather mission

is the need to provide decision assistance to commanders and resource

managers as well as operational units.

To fulfill this requirement, designated

AFW personnel serve as part of the

staff of operational AF, Army, and joint

force units. In this capacity, AFW personnel identify all weather-sensitive

areas of the operation, monitor the

weather service provided in these

areas, and provide expert advice to

mitigate weather impacts on either

training or combat operations.

Products and data are tailored to the

needs of weapon systems being developed or used; command and control

systems; Army firing units; research,

development and evaluation; testing,

training and deployment of military

forces; and contingency operations.

This effort helps ensure that AF, Army,

and joint force units fulfill their missions regardless of the weather and

results in efficient use of weather

resources by gearing them to specific

requirements.

Army weather requirements are completely integrated into the AF's overall

mission concept. The Army trains and

educates AF personnel on Army organizations, concepts of operations, and

the weather sensitivities of Army operations and equipment. AFW units are

aligned and integrated with the Army

intelligence organization. Weather

products are tailored to be pertinent to

and directly usable by Army personnel

and are integrated into Army communications systems. Mobile and fixed

meteorological equipment is programmed by the AF. In a tactical environment, weather personnel serve with

echelon-above-corps, corps, divisions,

separate brigades, regiments, aviation

brigades, armored cavalry regiments,

ranger regiments, and special forces

groups (as well as subordinate battalions deployed at forward operating

bases). The AF provides observers to

all command levels identified above.

The Army Forward Area Limited

Observing Program and the Army

artillery meteorology program augment the AF observations in the tactical environment.

The AF provides meteorological and

space weather products to the Nation's

space and missile programs including a

wide range of weather observing services at the AF Eastern Range and the

Kennedy Space Center. The AF pro-
94 DOD SECTION 3

vides tailored forecasting for NASA's

manned and unmanned launches and for

commercial launches from the Kennedy

Space Center. The AF also provides

specialized meteorological information

to the AF Western Range at Vandenberg

AFB, California, and the Pacific Missile

Range, which includes Point Mugu and

San Nicholas Island, California, and

Barking Sands, Hawaii. In addition, the

AF provides environmental information

to the White Sands Missile Range, New

Mexico, the Kwajalein Missile Range,

Republic of the Marshall Islands, and

other DoD research and test facilities.

The AF furnishes environmental information to DoD Special Strategic

Programs, the President, Secretary of

Defense, the National Military

Command System, and the National

Security Agency. Tailored environmental products are disseminated to these

customers worldwide.

The AF also provides agrometeorological output to the United States

Department of Agriculture's Foreign

Agricultural Service and other similar

customers. The output provided

includes diagnostic soil hydrology and

other meteorological output pertinent

to crop growth and yield estimation as

well as trafficability and rudimentary

flooding estimations.

AFCCC provides climatic data and

specialized products to the AF, Army,

and other government agencies.

Typical climatic information satisfies

requirements for assessments of natural

environmental effects on military plans,

weapon systems, facilities, and intelligence activities. AFCCC collects, quality assures, and applies worldwide surface and upper air observations, satellite

derived soundings, numerical model

output such as global gridded surface

and upper air model data, a global threedimensional cloud analysis (worldwide

merged cloud analysis), a global analysis of snow cover, and other specialized

environmental data sets. AFCCC produces standard climatic summaries of

meteorological phenomena for points

worldwide. Examples of these standard

products include the Operational

Climatic Data Summary and the Wind

Stratified Conditional Climatology.

Analysts are also available to produce

tailored products to meet specific customer requirements. AFCCC employs

the Atmospheric Slant Path Analysis

Model to produce vertical profiles for

any point around the globe for any time

since 1987. Modeled climatologies are

produced using the Advanced Climate

Modeling and Environmental

Simulations model. AFCCC is colocated with the National Climatic Data

Center to facilitate cooperation and data

exchange.

Figure 3-DOD-3. Solar optical and radio telescopes at Ramey, Puerto Rico and Learmonth, Australia (lower left).
SECTION 3 DOD 95

AF/XOW is the DoD Modeling and

Simulation Executive Agent for the Air

and Space Natural Environment. The

director executes his responsibilities

through OL-M, AFWA, located in

Asheville, North Carolina. The

Executive Agent is responsible for

ensuring modeling and simulation

developers and users have the tools,

infrastructure, and databases necessary

to represent the air and space environment rapidly, thoroughly, accurately,

and consistently in a manner that promotes cost-effectiveness, ready access,

interoperability, re-use, and confidence. OL-M sponsors research and

development and fields technology at

AFCCC--the designated operational

center providing tailored atmospheric

data for modeling and simulation.

OL-M also sponsors ongoing research

in cooperation with the National

Geophysical Data Center and the

Defense Modeling and Simulation

Office (DMSO) to develop a similar

capability to provide tailored, ondemand representations of the space

environment.

SPACE ENVIRONMENTAL

SERVICES

AFWA is the DoD focal point for

space environmental information and

participates with NOAA in the operation of its SEC. Many DoD systems

are affected by space weather phenomena occurring in the near-Earth environment. Space weather impacts fall

in three general categories: electromagnetic radiation, high-energy

charged particles, and electrically

charged particle clouds. AFWA provides a suite of automated and manually tailored space weather products to

the customers susceptible to these

impacts.

Sources of Space Environmental

Information. A variety of ground- and

space-based space weather data is

available to forecasters providing

information for space weather operations.

AFWA operates a network of solar

optical and radio telescopes at

Sagamore Hill, Massachusetts;

Holloman AFB, New Mexico;

Palehua, Hawaii; San Vito, Italy; and

Learmonth, Australia. These systems

provide observations of solar phenomena at optical and radio wavelengths

(Figure 3-DoD-3).

A worldwide (primarily Northern

Hemisphere) network of ground-based

ionosondes and other sensors provide

ionospheric data. AFW manages 16

automated Digital Ionospheric

Sounding Systems (DISS) to provide

measurements of disturbances in the

ionosphere. The Jet Propulsion

Laboratory also operates a complementary global network of sensors providing ionospheric data and the United

States Geological Survey (USGS)

operates a network of magnetometers

located primarily in the Northern

Hemisphere. The USGS data provides

indirect measurements of the strength

of ionospheric and magnetospheric

electric currents, which create their

own magnetic field superimposed

upon the Earth's magnetic field.

AFWA receives these data from the

SEC.

The GOES meteorological satellites

provide real-time solar X-ray, electrically charged energetic particle, and

geomagnetic data, made available

through the SEC. DMSP, NOAA, and

other DoD geostationary satellites provide additional energetic electrically

charged particle data in low-Earth and

geosynchronous orbits. Additionally,

AFW leverages space-based data from

NASA and other agencies. For example, NASA's Advanced Composition

Explorer satellite provides real-time

solar wind data, critical for forecasting

geomagnetic disturbances.

A number of additional sensors or

improvements to existing space weather sensors are planned. The Solar XRay Imager (SXI) recently became

operational on GOES-12. The SXI

monitors solar emissions in the

extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and X-ray

portions of the solar spectrum

(Figure 3-DoD-4) and provides near

real-time display at AFWA and the

Space Environment Center. The first

Figure 3-DOD-4. SXI imagery (visualization courtesy of NOAA).
96 DOD SECTION 3

Solar Radio Burst Locator underwent

Field Demonstration Evaluation in

early CY 2003, to provide radio wave

measurements of the sun while also

mapping certain solar phenomena

blocked from optical view by cloud

cover. AFWA has additional improvements scheduled for the optical telescopes as well as for the ionospheric

sensors.

AFWA uses a suite of space weather

models to specify current solar or

global characteristics of space weather

where observations are not available

and to assist in forecasting future conditions. These models use available

observations and include both climatology-based and physics-based algorithms. Some of the products created

with these models include the SingleFrequency GPS Receiver Error maps

(Figure 3-DoD-5), UHF Satellite

Communication Scintillation maps

(Figure 3-DoD-6), HF Illumination

maps (Figure 3-DoD-7), and Radar

Auroral Clutter maps. These products

help warfighters determine where

space weather is impacting their mission.

More detailed descriptions of both

the available observations and current

models are available in Chapter 2 of

the National Space Weather Program

Implementation Plan, Second Edition,

available from the Office of the

Federal Coordinator for Meteorology.

Mainstreaming Space. AFW continues its effort to "mainstream" space

weather for both providers and users.

DoD's increasing reliance on space

weather-affected systems, continuing

expansion of operations into space,

and the AF's designation as executive

agent for space indicates space weather will become increasingly important.

AFW will treat space weather initiatives the same as it does terrestrial

weather initiatives. Once fully mainstreamed, the spectrum of weather

information users should think of

space weather as quickly as they do

terrestrial weather. The AFW goal is to

create a seamless, real-time depiction

of the entire natural environment from

the mud to the sun by planning, programming, and budgeting for space

weather initiatives following the

National Space Weather Program and

National Security Space Architect's

space weather architecture. AFW is

taking steps to standardize space

weather operations, improve space

weather training for both providers and

users, integrate dissemination channels

for both space and terrestrial weather,

and improve customer interaction. To

improve interaction, AFW in conjunction with the AF Flight Standards

Agency has modified the flight weather briefing form to include space

weather effects on navigation and

communication and establishing a

space weather "pilot report" process to

obtain feedback to identify, quantify,

and archive space weather impacts.

RESEARCH INITIATIVES

The overarching objective of the AF

meteorological and space environmental research and development (R&D)

program is to provide capability

designers, operational weather personnel, and weather information users

with the technology and tools to gain

and maintain the advantage over a

potential adversary. Documented

R&D requirements in the atmospheric

sciences are articulated in the AFW

Mission Support Plan and in the

Mission Area Plans of the AF major

commands. Space environment R&D

is targeted to meet the DoD's space

weather requirements as summarized

in the National Security Space

Architect's Space Weather Architecture

Study, as well as the National Space

Weather Program Implementation

Plan, Second Edition. AFW also

strives toward improvements through

cooperative research and development

agreements with for-profit companies.

In meteorological R&D, the AF is

improving cloud depiction and forecasting (CDF) techniques by doubling

the resolution, integrating geosynchronous METSATs into the cloud analysis, using a new cloud interpretation

scheme, and blending numerical

weather prediction with forecast cloud

advection techniques. The AF has

transitioned key advances in tactical

Figure 3-DOD-5. Single-Frequency GPS Receiver Error Map (visualized by

HQ AFWA) 
SECTION 3 DOD 97

decision aids into operations, permitting improved forecasting of electrooptical system performance and generation of cloud and target scene visualizations for training, system development, and mission rehearsal. In addition to internal efforts, AFW will continue to rely on collaboration and

leveraging of efforts with other federal

meteorological agencies, research labs,

and universities to further improve

CDF system performance and meet

other research needs.

Mesoscale Modeling for Air Force

and Army Operations. Efforts have

continued for combining the MM5 and

Land Surface Model (LSM) for use by

AF and Army operations. Recent

research paid off with the development

of a coupled MM5-Land Surface

Model (LSM) capability. The LSM

analyzes the current state of the land

surface to provide information to both

DoD and civilian agencies and,

through coupling with MM5, will

improve forecasting performance in

the low levels of the atmosphere. This

allows AFW to provide better forecasts

for low-level aircraft operations, the

dispersion of aerosol contaminants,

and the employment of precision-guided munitions. It also allows for assessment of trafficability for ground forces.

The advances achieved in the LSM are

also being carried over into Weather

Research and Forecast (WRF) model

development, another area of AFWA

participation in research. AFWA is

closely collaborating with the National

Center for Atmospheric Research

(NCAR), NOAAs NCEP, NOAAs

Forecast Systems Laboratory (FSL),

the University of Oklahoma's Center

for the Analysis and Prediction of

Storms, and others in WRF development. WRF is the next generation

community model expected to replace

MM5, and AFWA is benefiting by

leveraging the efforts of 537 registered

users developing the model. AFWA is

preparing to fully implement WRF

operationally in the 2004 to 2005 timeframe and in 2004 will continue with

sponsorship and funding of development at NCAR and FSL, test and evaluation of real-time runs of the WRF

prototype, and will lead the LSM

Working Group while participating in

others.

Another example of how AFWA has

benefited from its R&D approach of

strategic partnering is in the data

assimilation arena. AFWA's partnership with NCAR has resulted in an

advanced 3-Dimensional VARiational

(3D-VAR) data assimilation for the

MM5 modeling system. The 3D-VAR

system will replace AFWA's current

Mesoscale Data Assimilation System

and Multi-Variate Optimum

Interpolation operational data assimilation system.

Atmospheric Optical Turbulence.

Electro-optical (EO) systems are

adversely affected by optical distortions caused by thermal or refractive

turbulence. As the sophistication of

current and next generation military

systems grows, the requirement for

more detailed knowledge of fine scale

(meters or less) atmospheric behavior

also grows. The Airborne Laser (ABL)

program is one such capability whose

performance is highly dependent on

the variations of the meteorological

conditions that produce turbulence.

The AF program in atmospheric optical turbulence measurements and modeling seeks to address these needs.

Researchers used a balloon-borne turbulence sensor mated to a standard

radiosonde to obtain measurements,

producing data and empirical models

that are the basis for ABL system specification. Balloon-borne measurements were made in conjunction with

airborne stellar scintillometer measurements to understand the relation

between atmospheric structure and

path-integrated optical effects. The

turbulent scalar spectrum was also

sampled using balloon-borne highbandwidth sensors. As part of an international program, aircraft measurements of temperature and velocity turbulence have been made in different

locales worldwide. Horizontal measurements by the aircraft augment the

Figure 3-DOD-6. UHF Satellite Communications Scintillation Map (visualization by HQ AFWA)
98 DOD SECTION 3

vertical profiling by balloons to assist

in the development of the detailed

knowledge required by new EO systems.

Atmospheric Optical Opacity. Airand space-borne reconnaissance systems are adversely affected by optical

distortions caused by clouds, fog, haze,

and other airborne particles. As the

sophistication of current and next generation military systems grows, the

requirement for more detailed knowledge of smaller scale (meters) atmospheric behavior also grows. The AF's

CDFS-II program seeks to address

these needs.

Radar Analysis using Digital Terrain

Elevation Data (DTED), MM5 data,

and Advanced Propagation Model

(APM) Prediction Software

(RADMAPS). Through the University

Partnering for Operational Support

(UPOS) program, Johns Hopkins

University Applied Physics Laboratory

(JHUAPL) has developed RADMAPS,

an application to assess and forecast

anomalous propagation for ground

based, airborne, and sea based radars.

RADMAPS uses DTED from the

National Imaging and Mapping

Agency along with a newly developed

and unique MM5 capability to forecast

radar refractivity in the lower atmosphere and the APM (a model developed by Space and Naval Warfare

Systems Command to predict atmospheric and terrain effects on radar performance).

United States Weather Research

Program (USWRP). AFW first entered

into discussions with USWRP in 2001

to explore expanded participation in

the program. USWRP's mission is to

accelerate forecast improvements of

high-impact weather and facilitate full

use of advanced weather information.

The program currently focuses on land

falling hurricanes, heavy precipitation,

and socio-economic impacts. AFW

anticipates leveraging the advances

made in these focus areas. AFW is

eager to leverage future efforts in the

areas of observing and assimilation

strategies in data sparse regions and

urban forecast issues and opportunities. AFW is already committed to the

USWRP-affiliated community development of the WRF model and will

continue its involvement during

FY 2003. The basic WRF model is

running at AFWA now and initial

results are very favorable.

University Partnering for

Operational Support (UPOS). AFW

continued to collaborate through the

UPOS program with JHUAPL, the

University of Alaska at Fairbanks

Geophysical Institute, and the Army

Research Laboratory (ARL). UPOS

provides a link between university

research and the DoD operational community and is currently focused on

near-term forecasts of ground, tropospheric, ionospheric, magnetospheric,

and solar weather. The goals of UPOS

are to provide an alternate path for

rapid transition of the best-applied

research ideas to the warfighter and to

raise awareness of DoD operational

needs within the academic community.

The partnership delivers prototype

operational products to the AF and

Army sponsors. The UPOS Steering

Committee, which includes the

AF/XOW, meets semiannually to

review progress and approve new projects. UPOS includes warfighter exercise support to demonstrate utility of

products through web-based, nonoperational access as well as collecting

direct user feedback for faster updates

of the prototype systems. Some examples of UPOS tropospheric weather

work include fine-scale polar numerical weather prediction, operational

volcanic plume forecasting, and electromagnetic propagation forecast maps

generated from MM5 output.

Examples of space science work

include high frequency radar and communication propagation to predict the

area a transmitter can illuminate, forecasting coronal mass ejections, and

improving determination of solar

events that will cause militarily significant space weather effects on and near

Earth.

Air Force Research Laboratory

(AFRL). In other space weather

research, AFRL programs focus on

ionospheric impacts to radio frequency

systems, space particle specification

Figure 3-DOD-7. HF Illumination Map (visualized by HQ AFWA).
SECTION 3 DOD 99

and forecast, solar disturbance prediction, and neutral density effects on

Low Earth Orbit spacecraft. Working

closely with the DMSP System

Program Office at the Space and

Missile Center under a Memorandum

of Agreement, AFRL supports the

development and upgrading of operational space weather sensors, models,

and software products to include space

environment sensors on the DMSP

spacecraft, state-of-the-art groundbased scintillation detectors, total electron content sensors, DISS, the Solar

Observing Optical Network, and the

Operationalized Space Environment

Network Display suite of web-based

products. AFRL also conducts customer-supported R&D for NPOESS,

the DMSO, the National Reconnaissance Office, the Ballistic Missile

Defense Office, the DoD High

Performance Computing Modernization

Office, and NASA. This program continues in 2004 to build improvements

for future operational implementation.

In addition to the AFRL research

portfolio, AFW collaborates with others in the space weather community to

develop new techniques, models, and

systems for transition to operational

applications. These include the

Community Coordinated Modeling

Center, the Constellation Observing

System for Meteorology, Ionosphere,

and Climate (COSMIC), and the previously mentioned UPOS.

Community Coordinated Modeling

Center (CCMC). AFW has been a full

member of the consortium that formed

the CCMC in 2000, co-chairing the

CCMC Steering Committee, and contributing to center efforts since 2001

by providing Defense Research and

Engineering Network connectivity and

exclusive access to a set of supercomputing nodes at AFWA. The CCMC

mission is to provide a computing

facility to enable, support, and perform

research for the next generation of

space weather models, preparing them

for transition to operations through the

rapid prototyping centers at both the

SEC and AFWA. AFW provided funding for a CCMC replacement capability fielded in FY 2002. Additional

information on the center is available

at its web site at

http://ccmc.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

In conclusion, through a continuous

process of review and definition, the

AF documents its requirements for

research aimed ultimately at providing

timely, accurate, and relevant weather

information to the warfighter today

and in the future. In meteorological

R&D, AFW is committed to continued

development of the WRF model and

collaboration with others to the benefit

of the warfighter and the nation. Space

weather research will continue with a

strong program in 2004 both at the

AFRL, as well as in leveraged programs such as UPOS, to facilitate

expediting needed capabilities to operations, at minimum expense.

SECTION 3 DOD 101

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

The United States Navy has the

unique military requirement to assess

meteorological and oceanographic

(METOC) impacts on naval, joint, and

combined operations. METOC support

begins by measuring the battlespace

physical environment and culminates

with safe, effective weapons systems

and sensor employment. The perspective is global, and historically focuses

on areas outside of the contiguous

48 states, but the emphasis is on wherever the Fleet goes and includes force

protection within the coastal waters of

the U.S. Developing METOC forecasts and determining potential effects

on weapons system information

requires:

 collection of data through tactical

and dedicated sensors (including

satellites);

 fusion and analysis of atmospheric

and oceanographic phenomena;

and

 use of meteorological information

in tactical decision aids and mission planning systems.

The Chief of Naval Operations,

through the Oceanographer of the

Navy (CNO (N096)), sponsors operational Navy METOC services and

related research and development

(R&D). The Navy METOC organization provides meteorological services

for Navy and joint forces, meteorological products to the uniformed services

and other Government agencies, and

oceanographic support to all elements

of DoD. The Oceanographer of the

Navy sponsors programs in four closely related disciplines to provide worldwide, comprehensive, integrated

weather and ocean support - meteorology, oceanography, geospatial information and services, and precise time

and astrometry. All are used to protect

ships, aircraft, fighting forces, and

shore establishments from adverse

ocean and weather conditions, and to

provide a decisive tactical or strategic

edge by exploiting the physical environment. Dual-hatted as the

"Navigator of the Navy", the

Oceanographer of the Navy serves as

the Chief of Naval Operations' focal

point for the development of technical

standards for navigation plans, data

standards, training, and navigation system certification. He also serves as an

advocate and broker for all fleet navigation issues. The Oceanographer of

the Navy streamlined his staff's organizational structure to better respond to

fleet needs with two proactive divisions. The Requirements and Liaison

Division works with the Fleet to establish METOC Requirements and maintains an active "Outreach" Program,

both within and outside DoD. They

work together with the Programming

and Assessment Division who manages R&D, materiel and infrastructure

resources. The Oceanographer of the

Navy's websites for information are at

www.oceanographer.navy.mil and (for

navigation information) www.navigator.navy.mil.

Research and development is conducted by warfare centers, laboratories, and systems commands, through

sponsorship by the Chief of Naval

Research and the Oceanographer of the

Navy. To ensure that all research and

development supported by the

Oceanographer is in direct support of

the Naval mission as established by

formal Navy doctrine, the

Oceanographer recently developed and

implemented a comprehensive framework to transition research to operations. The Naval Research Laboratory

(NRL) and the Space and Naval

Warfare Systems Command

(SPAWARSYSCOM) are the primary

activities that manage naval research

and transition to operations, and are

supplemented by various universities,

industry partners, and organizations

under Navy contract. NRL detachments are collocated with the Fleet

Numerical Meteorology and

Oceanography Center in Monterey,

California, and with the Naval

Oceanographic Office at Stennis Space

Center, Mississippi. The

SPAWARSYSCOM METOC Systems

Program Office (PMW-155) is the

Navy's single program manager for

METOC system development and

acquisition.

METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

UNITED STATES NAVY

Operational support within the Navy

is provided by elements of the Naval

Meteorology and Oceanography

Command (NAVMETOCCOM).

Navy METOC activities are involved

in worldwide collection of observations ashore, afloat and through remote

sensors, and in the assimilation and

processing of these observations on a

global basis to support analysis and

forecasting throughout the world.

The Fleet Numerical Meteorology

and Oceanography Center (FLENUMMETOCCEN), in Monterey, California, provides global, regional, and tactical observations, analyses, and coupled air-ocean forecasts. Environmental data is acquired through links

with DoD and NOAA conventional

and remotely sensed data distribution

systems. By agreement between Navy

and AF, FLENUMMETOCCEN is the

primary DoD global numerical weather prediction center, running the Navy

Operational Global Atmospheric

Prediction System (NOGAPS), developed by the Naval Research

Laboratory's Marine Meteorology

Division, also in Monterey. NOGAPS

provides global atmospheric predictions and drives a variety of ocean

models, including the global Wave

Watch III ocean wave model run at

FLENUMMET OCCEN

(Figure 3-DOD-8).

In near-shore regions, the smallscale interactions between the atmosphere, underlying ocean, and nearby

land make it necessary to analyze and

UNITED STATES NAVY
102 DOD SECTION 3

predict the battlespace environment

with higher resolution and improved

physics. In addition to the global product suite, FLENUMMETOCCEN is

uniquely capable of providing highresolution coupled air-ocean products

on short notice for any location in support of global contingency military and

humanitarian operations. The Navy's

Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) is

an operational tactical system featuring

data quality control algorithms; nested,

non-hydrostatic physics; explicit moisture physics; aerosols; and improved

data assimilation. Using lateral boundary conditions provided by NOGAPS,

COAMPS provides a high-resolution,

re-locatable, meteorological and

oceanographic prediction capability to

support joint littoral operations.

COAMPS is routinely run for Europe,

Southwest Asia, Western Pacific,

Central America, Western Atlantic, the

Continental U.S., and the Eastern

Pacific. COAMPS is frequently run in

other areas around the world as

requirements dictate.

NOGAPS and COAMPS forecast

products are distributed via various

communications systems including the

Internet, either directly to Fleet customers, or through the Navy regional

METOC centers. The regional

METOC centers develop value-added

products and services tailored to specific operational requirements. COMNAVMETOCCOM recently installed

computer systems at all their regional

centers to run COAMPS in theater,

allowing them to respond to Fleet commanders' requirements in near realtime. As a complement to numerical

forecast products, FLENUMMETOCCEN provides atmospheric and

oceanographic observations, satellite

products, data extracts, and data for

tactical decision aids. Additionally,

FLENUMMETOCCEN is the designated National "Core Processing

Center" for remotely sensed

microwave products under the

AF/Navy/NOAA Shared Satellite

Processing Agreement. The

FLENUMMETOCCEN web site for

information is www.fnmoc.navy.mil.

Since atmospheric conditions are

inherently coupled to oceanographic

conditions, the Navy's program in

meteorology is closely linked with

oceanography, which is the focus of

the Naval Oceanographic Office

(NAVOCEANO), Stennis Space

Center, Mississippi. NAVOCEANO's

primary responsibilities include the

collection, processing, and distribution

of oceanographic, hydrographic, and

other geophysical data and products.

NAVOCEANO recently began disseminating products from the world's first

operational global layered ocean

model - NLOM. NAVOCEANO is the

Navy's primary processing facility for

NOAA polar-orbiting satellite data and

is the National "Core Processing

Center" for satellite-derived sea-surface temperature measurements, providing the global sea surface temperature data critically important to successfully running NOGAPS and

COAMPS. Additionally, NAVOCEANO is a DoD Major Shared

Resource Center, enabling creation of

the latest research and development

models on the most modern scaleable,

supercomputing architecture and facilitating transition from R&D to operational use. The NAVOCEANO web

site for information is www.navoceano.navy.mil.

Tailored Theater and Regional Support

Theater and regional support are provided to forces ashore and afloat

through six regional centers delivering

METOC services within their broad

areas of responsibility (AORs). These

centers tailor services to theater

requirements, and manage and prioritize dissemination of numerical products from FLENUMMETOCCEN and

NAVOCEANO. Special products

needed to meet requirements of Joint

Force Commanders are also generated

by the regional centers. Additionally,

the Joint Typhoon Warning Center

(JTWC) (operated by Navy and AF) is

co-located with the Naval Pacific

Meteorology and Oceanography

Center in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Specific METOC products common to

Figure 3-DOD-8. Lightning strike on the horizon illuminates the bow of the

USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN 72) during operations in the Arabian Sea.

(U.S. Navy Photo)
SECTION 3 DOD 103

the regional centers include high winds

and seas warnings for the world's

oceans; tailored forecast support for

Navy, Coast Guard and NOAA ships at

sea; and ship routing services for ocean

transits (Figure 3-DOD-9).

The Naval Ice Center (NAVICECEN), located in Suitland, Maryland,

provides tailored ice forecasts and

analyses to DoD. The Navy (through

NAVICECEN), NOAA, and the U.S.

Coast Guard, jointly operate the

National Ice Center (NIC). The NIC

provides ice analyses and forecasts for

the Arctic and Antarctic regions,

coastal U.S. waters, and the Great

Lakes to civilian and military activities.

Local and Aviation Support

NAVMETOCCOM Facilities at

Whidbey Island, Washington; Naples,

Italy;and Jacksonville and Pensacola,

Florida, provide aviation forecast services as well as Fleet Operating Area

(OPAREA) and local forecasts and

warnings for aircraft, ships, submarines and naval bases and staffs.

Additionally, there are 29 NAVMETOCCOM detachments worldwide.

Though the detachments are primarily

situated at Naval Air Stations for aviation safety of flight forecasting, several are located at Naval Stations in support of sea-going units. The detachments provide METOC forecasting

and warning services to DoD and

allied units within their local and functional areas of responsibility.

Detachments and Facilities within the

continental U.S. use numerical products from both FLENUMMETOCCEN

and NOAA's National Centers for

Environmental Prediction (NCEP).

Overseas Detachments and Facilities

use FLENUMMETOCCEN numerical

weather products, in addition to USAF

and foreign products. Additionally,

FLENUMMETOCCEN provides aircraft routing services for military (primarily Navy) aircraft on demand.

One detachment, at the National

Climatic Data Center, Asheville, North

Carolina, coordinates the Navy's climatological program as part of the

Federal Climate Complex.

On-Scene Support

The Navy's permanent afloat

METOC assets are their OA Divisions,

embarked aboard aircraft carriers,

major amphibious ships and command

ships. The OA division's primary

objectives are safety of ships, aircraft

and embarked personnel, optimum tactical and planning support to on-board

warfare commanders, and tailored onscene products and services for the

assigned task force/group and Allied

units in joint, combined, or coalition

military and humanitarian operations

(Figure 3-DOD-10).

Deployable Mobile Environmental

Teams (METs) are the primary source

of on-scene Navy METOC support for

other forces afloat and forces deployed

ashore in remote operation areas.

These teams provide short-term, onscene services to DoD activities without organic METOC personnel, other

government agencies, and elements of

the armed forces of Allied nations during combined exercises or operations.

METOC products and services provided by these METS are tailored to each

unit's requirements, and include tactical METOC information and forecasts

for operations, weapon and sensor system employment and tactical decisionmaking, and climatological information for long-range planning.

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

(USMC)

The mission of the Marine Corps

METOC Service is to provide meteorological, oceanographic, and space

environmental information, products,

and services required to support

Marine Corps operations and other

military operations. The Marine Corps

METOC support infrastructure is

designed to readily deploy and operate

in austere expeditionary environments.

It is capable of providing sustained,

comprehensive, and relevant METOC

support to all elements of a Marine Air

Ground Task Force (MAGTF), as well

as bases and stations of the supporting

establishment.

Organization

The Deputy Commandant for

Aviation, Headquarters, United States

Figure 3-DOD-9. USS PAUL F. FOSTER (DD 964) turns away in heavy seas

after an attempt to replenish fuel underway. (U.S. Navy Photo)
104 DOD SECTION 3

Marine Corps (Code ASL-37) is the

cognizant office for Marine Corps

METOC support and requirements.

The Marine Corps METOC organization consists of two operational chainsof-command, one for supporting establishment METOC units and the other

for the Fleet Marine Force (FMF).

Supporting establishment METOC

units are located worldwide at Marine

Corp Air Stations (MCAS) and

Facilities (MCAF). These activities are

manned and equipped to provide direct

aviation METOC support and services

to host and tenant units at nine major

air stations in the continental United

States, one in Hawaii, and two in

Japan.

Within the FMF, Marines deploy and

employ as scalable, tailorable, combined-arms teams known as Marine

Air Ground Task Forces. There are

three sizes of MAGTFs. From smallest

to largest, they are: Marine

Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Marine

Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), and

Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF).

Additionally, Special Purpose

MAGTFs (SPMAGTFs) may be

formed to support operationally unique

situations and/or requirements. All

MAGTFs, regardless of size, share

four organizational elements that vary

in size and composition according to

the mission: Command Element (CE),

Ground Combat Element (GCE),

Aviation Combat Element (ACE), and

Combat Service Support Element

(CSSE).

FMF METOC activities are organized, trained, and equipped to provide

tailored support, products, and services

to all combat elements of the MAGTF.

METOC support is focused towards

impacts on Expeditionary Maneuver

Warfare (EMW) operations, particularly Operational Maneuver from the Sea

(OMFTS). FMF METOC activities

are fully interoperable within joint

force operations as part of a service or

functional component command.

When directed to stand-up as part of a

Joint Task Force Headquarters (JTF

HQ), they are capable of planning,

coordinating, and leading joint

METOC operations. Marine METOC

forces can rapidly transition from precrisis state to full operational capability in a distant theater to provide onscene support to MAGTF, combined,

joint, allied, and coalition operations

and other military operations as may

be directed (Figure 3-DOD 11).

FMF METOC assets are permanently assigned to Marine Expeditionary

Force Headquarters (MEF HQ),

Intelligence Battalions, Marine Wing

Support Groups (MWSGs), and

Marine Wing Support Squadrons

(MWSSs). There are three Marine

Expeditionary Forces strategically

positioned for global response. I MEF,

based in southern California and

III MEF, forward based in Okinawa,

mainland Japan, and Hawaii fall under

the control of the Commander, Marine

Forces Pacific. II MEF, located at

bases in North and South Carolina,

falls under the command of the

Commander, Marine Forces Atlantic.

MEF METOC personnel serve as special staff to the Commanding General

(CG) and are under the direction and

cognizance of the G-2 (Intelligence)

Division.

The three Intelligence Battalions in

the Marine Corps are co-located with

respective Marine Expeditionary Force

Headquarters. These battalions directly support the MEF G-2 and serve as

MAGTF intelligence centers during

operations. METOC is a vital part of

the intelligence estimate and is an

essential element that supports the

Marine Corps Rapid Response

Planning Process. METOC personnel

assigned to these commands provide

expertise, products, and services that

directly support the Intelligence

Preparation of the Battlespace (IPB)

process by helping intelligence analysts to effectively evaluate, integrate,

and synchronize METOC effects for

both enemy and friendly courses of

action.

Marine Aircraft Wings (MAWs) conduct the complete range of air operations in support of the MEF, to include

anti-air warfare, offensive air support,

assault support, aerial reconnaissance,

Figure 3-DOD-10. AP-3C Orion of Patrol Squadron Eight (VP-8) is guided by

an aircraft director at the Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland during one of the

frequent winter whiteouts. (U.S. Navy Photo)
SECTION 3 DOD 105

electronic warfare, and control of aircraft and missiles. The MAW serves as

the principle headquarters for the ACE.

Most of the MAGTF's METOC support assets reside within the MAW,

specifically at the MWSG and its subordinate MWSSs. These assets are

organized, structured, and capable of

supporting a variety of MAGTF and

ACE-specific operations as defined by

the size, scope, and mission requirements. Dedicated METOC support is

available for all MAGTF elements

from within the MAW/ACE.

METOC Support Capabilities

Meteorological Mobile FacilityReplacement (MetMF(R)) - The highest level of METOC support to the

MAGTF and ACE-specific operations

is the deployment of the MetMF(R).

The MetMF(R) provides a METOC

support capability similar to that found

in garrison METOC facilities, is normally deployed as part of MWSS to a

Forward Operating Base (FOB), and is

the only realistic option for large-scale

MAGTF operations. Once established

ashore, the MWSS may detach small

METOC support teams with portable

ancillary equipment to a forward base

in support of ACE units that are separated from the main airbase. This redeployment also provides the MetMF(R)

with a forward data collection capability that significantly enhances METOC

situational awareness and overall support efforts to the entire MAGTF.

With appropriate service personnel

augmentation, the MetMF(R) is also

capable of serving as host for an intheater Joint METOC Forecasting Unit

(JMFU) during joint operations and

exercises.

METOC Support Team (MST).

MSTs are task organized and equipped

to provide a limited level of METOC

support to combat elements other than

the ACE (e.g. CE, GCE, and CSSE)

and can be assigned to support MEU

operations. It is capable of rapidly

deploying as part of a first-in level of

METOC support response to a crisis

and can be easily integrated into an Air

Contingency MAGTF (ACM).

Additionally, the MST can be assigned

to augment a JMFU during joint operations (Figure 3-DOD 12).

Each MWSS within the MAW is

structured and organized to provide

one MST that consist of one METOC

officer, two forecasters, and two

observers. When deployed, the MST

will normally be assigned to the G/S-2

(Intelligence) division/section of the

supported combat element or MEU.

The MST deploys with rugged, ancillary environmental collection and data

processing equipment. During operations they organically collect METOC

products, data, and information from

the nearest deployed MetMF(R), Navy

METOC OA Division afloat, host

nation or other METOC support organizations and agencies to satisfy

METOC information requirements.

Specialized METOC Support

The Marine Corps' Chemical

Biological Incident Response Force

(CBIRF) was established in 1996 as a

result of Presidential Decision

Directive (PDD) 39 to manage the consequences of Nuclear, Biological, and

Chemical (NBC) materials or weapons

used by terrorists. This national level

asset is part of the re-activated 4th

Marine Expeditionary Brigade - AntiTerrorism (MEB-AT) located at Indian

Head, Maryland. It is comprised of

specially trained and equipped Navy,

Marine, and civilian personnel who

can rapidly be forward deployed

and/or respond to a credible threat of a

Chemical, Biological, Radiological,

Nuclear, or High Yield Explosive

(CBRNE) incident in order to assist

local, state, or federal agencies and

designated Unified Combatant

Commanders in the conduct of consequence management operations.

Within the S-2 (Intelligence) section, a

permanently assigned METOC forecaster provides specialized NBC dispersion forecast products and services

that aid mission accomplishment of

this organization.

METOC Support Doctrine

Marine Corps Warfighting

Publication (MCWP) 3-35.7, MAGTF

Figure 3-DOD-11 Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAVs) embark on the beach

in preparation to off-load marines as part of an amphibious landing exercise

during operations in the Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy Photo)
106 DOD SECTION 3

Meteorological and Oceanographic

Support, provides more detailed information about the Marine Corps

METOC Service. An electronic copy

is available for viewing and downloading from the Marine Corps Combat

Development Command (MCCDC),

Doctrine Division web site at

https://www.doctrine.quantico.usmc.

mil/.

MAJOR METOC SYSTEMS

The capability to provide near realtime global, regional, and local

METOC services to the Navy and

Marine Corps team requires a robust

and evolving set of leading edge technological tools. These tools are

embodied in the

following systems:

Primary

Oceanographic

Prediction System

(POPS) II Upgrade

(POPS II U). The

POPS II U operates

complex computerbased models of

the world's ocean

and atmosphere,

and disseminates

METOC forecasts,

charts, imagery,

and operational

data sets to support

deployed Navy and

DOD forces worldwide. This data is

essential to the

safety of personnel

and to the operational effectiveness

of the Navy's operational platforms, sensors, and

weapons; including cruise and ballistic

missiles, ships, aircraft, radar, and

sonar. POPS II U prediction models

must provide horizontal resolutions of

1-5 kilometers, in near real-time, for

use in on-scene tactical decision aids

and systems. Thus, POPS II U provides tailored and timely predictions of

METOC conditions to assist in optimizing the tactical deployment of U. S.

sensor and weapon systems.

POPS II U produces and provides

critical, classified and unclassified

atmospheric and oceanographic guidance to Navy and DOD activities

worldwide on a demanding and

responsive, 24-hours/7-day schedule.

POPS II U is responsible for all

FNMOC operations, including the

supercomputing, communications

(including receipt of tens of thousands

of observations and transmission of

hundreds of model products), database

management, data assimilation and

distribution, and systems control/monitoring. It is the engine that runs all of

the Navy's global/regional/ tactical

atmospheric, oceanographic, wave,

ice, and tropical cyclone models.

POPS II U is a national system that

assimilates both classified and unclassified data. Classified observations

from the battlespace provide a rich

source of data that improves the initial

METOC analyses and ultimately the

METOC predictions. The capability to

process this type of highly sensitive

information in a wartime scenario is

unique to POPS II U. POPS II U also

produces and disseminates classified

and unclassified global/regional

atmospheric guidance that is used by:

 Navy for global ocean, regional

and tactical ocean/atmosphere/

wave/ ice/tropical cyclone models

and distributed tactical forecast

systems,

 AF for regional atmospheric models, cloud prediction systems, and

strategic decision aids as specified

via the Navy/AF agreement,

 Joint Forces Command, Defense

Threat Reduction Agency and

Lawrence

Livermore National

Laboratory for

Weapons of Mass

Destruction

(WMD) decision

aids and aid in contingency planning,

 Central

Intelligence

Agency (CIA)

for aid in contingency planning,

 National

Weather Service

(NWS) weather

supercomputer

back-up,

 S trategic

Command for

ballistic missile

support,

 Presidential

Support Unit for

aid in contingency planning.

Support to the operating forces is

provided principally through six geographically dispersed regional commands via direct connectivity through

DoD circuits. The primary source of

data to these regional centers is POPS

II U. Additionally, thousands of DoD

users receive their product support

Figure 3-DOD-12. A U.S. Marine Corps CH-46 helicopter lands on the desert

landing strip Rhino, a forward base of operations outside Kandahar,

Afghanistan. (U.S. Navy Photo)
SECTION 3 DOD 107

directly from POPS II U via the creation of web enabled tactical applications.

POPS II U is composed of a number

of different high-performance computer systems, including a 128 processor

Origin 3800, two 12 processor Origin

3400 file servers, and a 512 processor

Origin 3800. POPS II U forms the primary basis of METOC support

throughout DoD. This capability

includes state-of-the-art decoders, data

management systems, quality control

algorithms, and data assimilation software for all types of METOC data

from all available sensors. These data

will support state-of-the-art numerical

weather, ocean,

chemical/biological dispersion and

acoustic models,

run in multiple

nested fashion

from global scale

models at resolutions of tens of

kilometers to battlegroup/battlefield

models at resolutions of a few kilometers. The

POPS II U system

performance

improvement

objectives will

optimize DoD support in the following specific areas: 

 Long and near

real-time period

METOC support for warfighter planning/decisions

 Aircraft routing services

 Safe and direct ship routing services

 Hurricane, typhoon and tropical

storm prediction

 Open ocean and coastal wave prediction

 Precipitation prediction

 Refractivity conditions/ducting

range

 Acoustics support

 Ballistic missile targeting support

 Search and rescue

 Chemical/biological/nuclear transport prediction

Distributed Atmospheric Modeling

Prediction System (DAMPS). For

centuries, military commanders have

looked to the weather for tactical

advantage. The Navy is currently the

nation's only military service that operates a distributed model in support of

tactical weather prediction. DAMPS

allows users to ingest high-resolution

data and on-scene observations into

regional and global model information

received from the Fleet Numerical

Meteorology and Oceanography

Center in Monterey, California. The

result is an on-scene weather model

that provides accurate weather predictions for an operating area within a

24-hour timeframe.

DAMPS is fielded at all Navy

METOC centers worldwide and uses

the COAMPS model to develop

METOC prediction products out to 48

hours. DAMPS uses real-time weather

data from ship and battle group observations, including parameters such as

wind, temperature, cloud, visibility

and radar data, and then incorporate

this data into its analysis. This analysis can be highly focused on any area

of interest.

Tactical Environmental Support

System (TESS). The Navy continues

migration towards a modular, interoperable suite of systems to ingest,

process, fuse, display, and disseminate

METOC data. The program consists

of four seamless versions known as the

Naval Integrated Tactical

Environmental Subsystem (NITES)

versions I-IV. NITES systems will be

fielded through

FY 2006. The four

NITES versions

are:

 NITES I.

Provides Navy

decision-makers

on major combatant ships with

METOC assessments and forecasts, and integrates data with

sensor and

weapon platform

parameters for

system performance assessments. Theater

METOC Centers

use NITES I to

provide valueadded products 

 NITES II. Makes METOC data

and products available to Navy and

Marine Corps activities afloat and

ashore via the Global Command

and Control System-Maritime

(GCCS-M). TESS data and products are used to feed tactical decision aids resident within GCCS-M.

Figure 3-DOD-13. An Aerographer's Mate prepares to launch a weather balloon at sea aboard USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63). (U.S. Navy Photo)

to fleet units, and the numerical

prediction guidance generated by

FLENUMMETOCCEN.
108 DOD SECTION 3

NITES II is the basis for the Joint

METOC Segment of the new

Global Command and Control

System (GCCS) V3.0.

 NITES III. An unclassified forecast, briefing, and display system

tailored to Naval METOC shore

activities in support of aviation

operations.

 NITES IV. A portable system tailored to Mobile Environmental

Team (MET) and USMC

Meteorological Support Team

(MST) METOC requirements.

Tactical Environmental Data Server

(TEDS). TEDS is a storage and data

management system for meteorological, oceanographic and environmental

information whose architecture is built

around the Informix relational database management system (RDBMS).

It is the central engine in both the

Tactical Environmental Support

System (TESS) and the Navy

Integrated Tactical Environmental

System (NITES), providing data

access support to the full spectrum of

client applications and METOC models. The METCAST automated delivery software is used to facilitate the

subscription of new and updated TEDS

data, and the continuous on schedule

transport of TEDS data to client tactical decision aids, and applications by

means of the Internet

(Figure 3-DOD-13).

Tactical Environmental Data

Services (TEDServices). TEDServices

extends TEDS into the era of Net

Centric Warfare (NCW), Sea Power21, FORCEnet, Task Force Web, and

the Navy Enterprise Portal (NEP) by

means of a new Web Services architecture as described in the Oceanographer

of the Navy's (N096) Operational

Concept 2002. TEDServices provides

a Data Oriented Service (as defined by

the Navy Enterprise Application

Developers Guide (NEADG)) that

supports both the management and the

bi-directional transport of meteorological, oceanographic and other environmental information. The TEDS original RDBMS architecture is being

replaced with a lightweight, forward

deployed, data cache, which offers

warfighters, METOC professionals,

TDAs/applications and weapon systems immediate access to the Virtual

Natural Environment (VNE). The

VNE is a 4-dimensional representation

of the user-defined battlespace environment. TEDServices' Clients will

use a new METOC Mission Rules

Based Data Order (MRBDO) process

to subscribe to relevant data by mission, platform, TDA/application,

parameter or product. The design tenants of TEDServices include: Data

Transport (to reduce bi-directional

bandwidth use), Data Management (to

simplify data ordering and forwarded

deployed data administration), Data

Representation (to implement a unified

Geospatial Coordinate Process), and

DoD Joint Interoperability (to support

standards defined by the Joint METOC

Interoperability Board).

Environmental Satellite ReceiverProcessor (AN/SMQ-11 and

AN/FMQ-17). These systems are the

principal Navy systems to acquire

environmental data directly from satellites. There are different equipment

configurations for ships (AN/SMQ-11)

and shore sites (AN/FMQ-17), and

through their interface with NITES

variants they provide remotely sensed

information to the operator. The

AN/FMQ-17 is capable of receiving

direct downloads from geostationary

and polar orbiting satellites, while the

AN/SMQ-11 receives only polar orbiting satellite data directly.

Automated Surface Observing

System (ASOS). ASOS, a joint DoD,

DoC, and DoT leveraged program,

supports aviation and local area

observing requirements at Navy and

Marine Corps stations worldwide.

ASOS helps assimilate field meteorological parameters and facilitates efficient entry of surface aviation observations and synoptic weather reports into

national numerical models. NAVMETOCCOM has certified a number of

ASOS units at local and remote

USN/USMC airfields for stand-alone

use during off-duty hours, when

observers are not present to verify the

official station observation.

Supplemental Weather Radars

(SWR) (AN/FPS-131 and AN/TPS76). The Navy has Supplemental

Weather Radars to provide Doppler

weather radar coverage at selected

Navy and USMC sites, mostly overseas, outside of NEXRAD coverage.

Meteorological Mobile Facility

Replacement (METMF(R)). The

METMF(R) is a transportable system

that houses meteorological support

equipment for the Marine Air Ground

Task Force (MAGTF). This 8 x 8 x 20

foot van provides a fully functioning

weather office designed to support

Marine Corps expeditionary airfield

operations for 30 days without resupply. It includes sub-systems for data

collection (local, remote and upper air

sensors), data processing, satellite data

ingest and display, Doppler radar, communications, briefing support, and support for remote forces. The

METMF(R) is interoperable with the

Marine Corps C4I systems and

METOC systems of the other Services

via the Global Command and Control

System (GCCS).

Operational Products and Services

Optimum Track Ship Routing

(OTSR), and Optimum Path Aircraft

Routing System (OPARS) are advisory

services for fleet units. They are based

on NOGAPS, COAMPS and wave

forecast data, are tailored to the customer, and provide guidance to the

forecaster for the safe operation and

cost-effective routing of DoD ships

and aircraft, just as they have for nearly 30 years. OTSR and OPARS save

the operating forces of all services

approximately $57M/year in reduced

fuel consumption and personnel costs.

The Navy METCAST/JMV system

is a PC-based software package used to
SECTION 3 DOD 109

make FLENUMMETOCCEN numerical products available to front line

DoD users. All standard meteorological and oceanographic fields, synoptic

observations and basic DMSP satellite

imagery are also available.

MyWxmap ("My Weather Map") is a

Web-based service from FNMOC that

allows military and civilian users

worldwide to access numerical output

of selected weather parameters

throughout the world. Because of

continually emerging Internet technology, a large subset of these products

can also be made available to the general public at no additional cost. It will

eventually be integrated into various

Web portals now under development.

The Navy's capability to provide

operational support for homeland security is oriented around its expertise in

conducting a Rapid Environmental

Assessment (REA) and providing near

real-time environmental support based

on that assessment for naval forces.

The Navy's strengths in characterizing

the environment, through observations

and modeling, in conjunction with its

distributed facilities and effective network for communications and data

exchange, contribute effectively

toward the national imperative for the

best meteorological support to the mission of homeland security. The regional center at Norfolk, Naval Atlantic

Meteorology and Oceanography

Center (NLMOC), has been designated

a WMD/WME Center of Expertise.

They are capable of running HPAC or

VLSTRACK on a 24-hours/7-days

basis to provide dispersion plume support as required by military and civil

authorities.

Since 1983, the Naval Regional

Meteorology and Oceanography

Center, in Norfolk Virginia has provided long-range forecasts in support of

Energy Conservation efforts at Naval

shore installations in the continental

United States. The services are primarily in the form of extended-range

(10 day) temperature forecasts provided to energy managers to assist in optimizing power plant operations.

Monthly temperature/degree day outlooks and long-lead (12 month) seasonal and precipitation forecasts are

also issued to assist in strategic planning of fuel purchasing and resource

allocation. Documented savings from

the Energy Conservation Forecast

Program exceed $62 million, with the

majority of savings resulting from

power plant steam/air conditioning

on/off recommendations and energy

resource/fuel allocation based on longlead forecast products. The program

has recently added a Pier Load

Forecast that is used by four Naval

Stations to help predict ship power

requirements. Customers include 128

Navy and Marine Corps facilities and

commands.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

The Navy administers a diverse

research and development (R&D) program, ranging from software development to sensor engineering, and processing, display, and distribution

devices. Application of R&D activities of other Services and Federal

agencies is always considered, and use

of existing government and commercial off-the-shelf items is emphasized.

The Navy is a world leader in the

field of numerical weather prediction

for marine environmental services.

Transitioning fundamental scientific

research, through additional development, into operational meteorological

and oceanographic models is key to a

successful numerical prediction program. This ongoing process includes

work at universities and the Naval

Research Laboratory's Marine

Meteorological Division to keep the

Navy Operational Global Atmospheric

Prediction System (NOGAPS) and the

Coupled Oceanographic and

Atmospheric Mesoscale Prediction

System (COAMPS) at the leading edge

of technology. Development is also

underway to improve data assimilation, quality control, and management

techniques to support these models.

The Navy's suite of models also

includes phenomena such as waves,

tides, ice, tropical cyclone, and biological/aerosol transport. A complete set

of numerical modeling "Roadmaps"

can be found at www.cnmoc.navy.mil.

The Navy R&D program in remote

sensing develops techniques to extract

tactically significant information in the

littoral regions of the world. Sensors

aboard existing satellites are exploited

to the greatest extent possible and

plans are in place to incorporate new

capabilities when introduced. Because

many satellite-processing algorithms

are designed for use with tactical systems, expert or rule-based processes

are used where possible to reduce

human-intensive interpretation.

ONR and SPAWARSYSCOM continue to explore techniques for assimilating environmental data through nontraditional sensors. One such effort is

investigating the AEGIS Weapon

System's AN/SPY-1 radar and developing the ability to produce

NEXRAD-like radar information from

ships at sea.

INTERAGENCY COOPERATION

Navy and AF have long been cooperating in DoD weather support, and

these efforts have led to such successes as the Defense Meteorological

Satellite Program and the Joint

Typhoon Warning Center. Recently,

the two services have reinvigorated

efforts to increase efficiencies in their

METOC programs through greater

cooperation, particularly in the area of

support to military Command &

Control and Intelligence/reconnaissance systems. An initiative under

NAVAF-21 (Navy/AF Cooperation in

the 21st Century) was the creation of

the Joint METOC Interoperability

Board (JMIB). Working groups of this

board have been developing a road

map to build a Four Dimensional Data

Cube (4-D Cube), accelerating the
110 DOD SECTION 3

development of common data base

segments and API's, and developing a

common mapping tool kit. All of these

efforts are designed to ensure consistent, accurate, relevant, and timely

information for both automated and

human-in-the-loop planning and decision systems.

To maximize efficiency and benefit

for Navy and NOAA cooperative

activities, an Umbrella Memorandum

of Agreement (MOA) between these

two agencies was signed in 1993. Both

agencies continue to identify new areas

of potential cooperation and review

existing agreements for conversion

into annexes to this MOA. Specific

areas include:

 Cooperative efforts in operational

numerical modeling, data

exchange, and mutual backup

between FLENUMMETOCCEN

and the National Centers for

Environmental Prediction (NCEP).

 Navy/NOAA/Coast Guard operation of the National Ice Center.

 Cooperative efforts between

FLENUMMETOCCEN and the

Pacific Fisheries Environmental

Lab of the National Marine

Fisheries Service.

 Air Force Weather Agency

(AFWA) / Navy (FLENUMMETOCCEN, NAVOCEANO) /

NOAA-NESDIS agreement on

shared processing of satellite data.

 Navy/NOAA agreement on ASOS

procurement and installation.

 Satellite altimetry data processing.

 Training cooperation through

Cooperative Program for

Operational Meteorology

Education and Training (COMET).

MOAs also exist between the

Department of Commerce, Department

of Transportation, and the Department

of Defense concerning procurement

and operation of NEXRAD.

Additionally, Navy is a DoD participant in the development of the

DoC/DoD/NASA converged National

Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS).

NOAA, Navy and AF are also working together to establish a Weather

Research and Forecast Model (WRF)

National Concept of Operations. WRF

provides a collaborative Numerical

Weather Prediction (NWP) environment for numerous national agencies

and DoD services to pursue opportunities to process atmospheric ensembles

for the future.

There are numerous other bilateral

agreements involving FLENUMMETOCCEN, NAVOCEANO and the

Navy Regional Centers with other

DoD activities. These agreements

range from weapons of mass destruction hazard dispersion modeling to

specific backup capabilities.

NATURALDISASTER MITIGATION

Navy METOC plays a vital role in

reducing the impact of natural disasters to units both ashore and afloat.

Severe weather warnings are issued

at Naval facilities by the local

NAVMETOCCOM activity when

conditions warrant. For ships operating at sea without METOC personnel

embarked, tailored enroute weather

forecast messages (WEAX) and high

winds and seas warnings provide

commanding officers with advance

notice of heavy weather, and

Optimum Track Ship Routing

(OTSR) forecasters monitor ship

movements and provide heavy weather avoidance recommendations.

Tropical cyclones and even severe

winter storms provide even greater

challenges, as ships cannot generally

"ride out" storms in port without sustaining damage. Similarly, once they

get underway (or "sortie") ships must

steer well clear of the highest winds

and seas, to avoid personnel injuries

and damage and ensure their stability

limits are not exceeded. Storms of little consequence to the general public -

those that remain well out at sea - are

still of great concern to the Navy.

Because of the need to sortie ahead of

tropical cyclones, the Navy must make

decisions 3 to 5 days in advance of

potentially dangerous weather. Sortie

decisions are extraordinarily difficult

to make because of their high cost and

impact on personnel and operations.

In making these decisions, Fleet commanders must strike a balance between

the risks of staying import versus the

cost and potential for damage at sea.

Additionally, naval exercises and ship

transits are often placed at risk by multiple tropical cyclone events, which

can make successful evasion extremely difficult.

Forecasts are provided to the fleet

commanders and their staffs by the

nearest NAVMETOCCOM activity

and/or afloat METOC personnel.

Within CONUS and adjacent ocean

areas, tropical cyclone forecasts in particular are closely coordinated with

those of the National Weather Service.

Overseas, local tropical cyclone warnings and forecasts are based on guidance provided by the Joint Typhoon

Warning Center (JTWC), Pearl Harbor,

HI. The Commander of the United

States Pacific Command designated

FLENUMMETOCCEN as the alternate JTWC.
SECTION 3 DOD 111

ARMY TRANSFORMATION

Global changes to the strategic environment dictate that the Army significantly alters the way it conducts business (Figure 3-DOD-14). On

12 October 1999, the Secretary of the

Army and the Chief of Staff of the

Army articulated a vision designed and

intended to posture the Army so that it

can better meet the demands of the

21st Century: "Soldiers on Point for

the NationPersuasive in Peace,

Invincible in War." This urgent

requirement to transform the Army is

based upon emerging security challenges in the 21st

century as well as

the requirement to

respond more rapidly across the full

spectrum of operations. In support of

the National

Security Strategy

(NSS), the strategic

significance of land

forces lies in their

ability to not only

fight and win our

nation's wars but

also to provide

options that shape

the global environment to the future

benefit of the

United States and its allies. To this

end, the Army has developed and is

implementing a strategy and plan to

guide its transformation.

The Army Vision is about People,

Readiness and Transformation. People

are the centerpiece of our formations;

leadership is our stock in trade. It is

imperative that we continue to take

care of our quality soldiers, civilians,

veterans and their families as we transform our Army. Readiness remains, as

it has always been, our top priority.

We have a non-negotiable contract

with the American people - to fight and

win the nation's wars. We must ensure

that at all times, the Army can meet

demands of the National Military

Strategy (NMS) and requirements

specified in the Joint Strategic

Capabilities Plan (JSCP). Finally, the

Army must transform to become more

strategically responsive and dominant

at every point on the spectrum of operations.

The vision represents goals for the

Army while Transformation and its

accompanying Transformation

Campaign Plan (TCP) are vehicles for

becoming more strategically responsive and dominant. Achieving this

vision requires a complete and radical

transformation of the entire Army.

Transformation consists of three

major objectives: Initial Force, Interim

Force and Objective Force, with three

corresponding phases

(Figure 3-DOD-15). The first phase of

Army Transformation has already

begun. During this phase, the Army is

fielding an Initial Force of two Brigade

Combat Teams at Ft. Lewis,

Washington, that will establish and

validate an organizational and operational model for future Interim Brigade

Combat Teams. To bridge the gap

between the capabilities of today's

force and the Objective Force, it is necessary to field an Interim Force of up

to six brigades, employing Interim

Armored Vehicles (IAVs) and currently available commercial off-the-shelf

(COTS) equipment. The IAVs selected

for the job are the Stryker

(Figure 3-DOD-16), which have

become the main combat vehicle of the

Stryker Brigade Combat Teams

(SBCT). The SBCTs are the vanguard

of the future Objective Force - they

will have full spectrum capability and

be available for apportionment to the

war fighting Combatant Commanders.

These Brigade

Combat Teams

will also have the

capability to

deploy anywhere

in the world in 96

hours. This force

will not only

retain the capability to deploy a

combat-capable

brigade anywhere

in the world in

96 hours, but also

a division in

120 hours and five

divisions in

30 days. The

Objective Force

will provide our

national leaders with an increased

number of options for regional engagement, crisis response and sustained

land force operations. The Objective

Force is designed and built around a

Future Combat System (FCS) that will

incorporate state of the art technologies and capabilities into a multi-mission combat system. The Army has

significantly increased spending in science and technology in order to develop the operational capabilities of the

FCS and the overall force. Throughout

the period of Transformation, readiness remains our top priority - the

Legacy Force provides this capability.

UNITED STATES ARMY

Figure 3-DOD-14. The Strategic Environment.
112 DOD SECTION 3

The Army must fulfill its non-negotiable contract with the American people-to fight and win the Nation's wars.

Therefore, the Army must sustain and

re-capitalize its Legacy Force to guarantee maintenance of critical war fighting readiness. To accomplish this, the

Army will re-capitalize selected legacy

formations in its Active and Reserve

Components to enhance key armored

and aviation systems as well as

enhance light force lethality and survivability.

These changes to the Army force

structure dictate changes in both

weather support requirements and the

way weather is provided to the new

Brigade Combat Teams. Weather

teams will be smaller in size and rely

more heavily on "reach back" capabilities to obtain pertinent meteorological

data. To that end, the Air Force is

working with the Army to optimize the

type and level of weather support that

will be provided to the new brigades,

while still maintaining appropriate

support to the legacy force during

transformation.

OPERATIONAL EQUIPMENT

AND SUPPORT MISSIONS

U.S. Army weather support is a mix

of Army and USAF personnel and

equipment under Law and according to

Army-Air Force agreement. Army

Regulation (AR) 115-10/Air Force

Joint Instruction (AFJI) 15-157,

Weather Support for the U.S. Army,

30 June 1996, describes the Service

responsibilities and those of Major

Army Commands (MACOMs) within

the Army providing weather support.

The U.S. Army provides direct weather support to two Army missions:

upper air observations for Field

Artillery fire support, and limited surface weather observations to support

Army weapon systems forward of

Division tactical operations centers

(Figure 3-DOD-17). AF Major

Commands (MAJCOMs) provide

operational weather services to war

fighting MACOMs in combat, contingencies, and peacetime training. U.S.

Army Forces Command (FORSCOM),

U.S. Army Europe (USAREUR), U.S.

Army Pacific (USARPAC), U.S. Army

Special Operations Command

(USASOC), Eighth U.S. Army

(EUSA), and U.S. Army Training and

Doctrine Command (TRADOC) have

AF Weather personnel providing daily

installation and tactical weather support. Army Artillery Meteorological

(ARTYMET) Crews provide direct

upper air observation support to

artillery units in the same MACOMs.

During peacetime training and activation, the Air National Guard (ANG)

provides AF operational weather support to the U.S. Army Reserve (USAR)

and Army National Guard (ARNG),

collectively designated the Reserve

Component (RC). In addition, during

exercises and contingencies, the ANG

may augment the active Army Combat

Weather Teams (CWTs).

The Army also provides the operational weather support to Army

Research Development, Test and

Evaluation (RDTE) ranges, centers,

Figure 3-DOD-15. United States Army Transformation.

Figure 3-DOD-16. The Stryker (U.S. Army Photo)
SECTION 3 DOD 113

and other research facilities using the

Developmental Test Command's

(DTC) Meteorological Teams (MET

Teams) and U.S. Army Space and

Missile Defense Command (SMDC)

contractors. DTC operational support

is established under Army Test and

Evaluation Command. SMDC provides weather support to the Ronald

Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test

Site at Kwajalein Atoll through a

Meteorological Environmental Test

Support contractor.

The Army provides the tactical field

and communications equipment to

USAF CWTs for tactical operations.

The Integrated Meteorological System

(IMETS) is the U.S. Army's tactical

weather communication, intelligence,

and information system providing digital weather support to the commanders and staffs of tactical units, from

Echelons Above Corps (EAC) to aviation battalions. The Project Director

for IMETS (PD, IMETS) falls under

the direction of the Project Manager,

Intelligence and Effects and the oversight of the Program Executive

Officer, Command, Control,

Communications - Tactical (PEO

C3T). The Communications and

Electronics Command (CECOM) and

Army Research Laboratory (ARL)

provide fielding and technical support

to PD, IMETS and to Field Artillery

meteorology programs.

ARTYMET Crews are assigned to

Artillery units at Division level, to

Field Artillery Brigades, and to

Separate Brigades with a direct support

Artillery Battalion. Army soldiers regularly take tactical upper air observations to support Field Artillery units

during tactical training exercises, at

permanent Army Artillery Ranges, or

during the full range of combat missions. ARTYMET Crews also take

limited surface observations at tactical

locations on an "as needed" basis to

support artillery operational requirements.

ARTYMET Crews in the Active

Component (AC) and RC sections currently use the Meteorological

Measuring Set (MMS), AN/TMQ-41,

to take upper air observations during

tactical operations. It is a mobile,

upper air sounding system mounted on

a High Mobility Multipurpose

Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). The

MMS provides upper air data to the

Field Artillery Tactical Data System

for use in adjusting artillery fire, to

USAF CWTs, and to the Chemical

Officer for use in smoke and in

Nuclear, Biological and Chemical

(NBC) defense operations. The U.S.

Army Field Artillery School

(USAFAS), Fort Sill, OK develops

requirement documents and is the

combat and training developer for

meteorological equipment used for

Field Artillery support.

The Army provides supplemental,

limited surface observations when

required in tactical situations to support Army operations. When directed

by the Intelligence Officer (S2),

Intelligence personnel in the forward

combat areas take these observations.

Headquarters, Department of the

Army, Office of the Deputy Chief of

Staff, G-2, is responsible for Army

weather support policy. The Office of

the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-3, is

responsible for validating and prioritizing weather support requirements and

programs to meet Army requirements.

In addition, the Army Staff created a

position for an Intelligence Officer at

the Air Force Weather Agency

(AFWA) at Offutt AFB, NE, to serve

as a consultant to AFWA for Army

weather requirements.

Army Operational Support provided

by the Air Force

Under AR 115-10/AFJI 15-157, the

AF is responsible for providing the

Army with the necessary manpower

and unique tactical and fixed weather

equipment to meet Army tactical and

garrison active component (AC) and

reserve component (RC) support

requirements. Army support manpower requirements are sourced from AF

active, reserve, and ANG weather

units. While direct support of the Field

Artillery remains an Army responsibility, and is supported by Army

ARTYMET teams, AF CWTs provide

supplemental information to artillery

crews in contingencies for areas

beyond direct ARTYMET observation

capabilities. The AF assigns AF

weather personnel to the war fighting

MACOMs at theater, corps, division,

armored cavalry regiments, aviation

brigades, separate brigades, and spe- Figure 3-DOD-17. Army Weather Support Architecture.
114 DOD SECTION 3

cial forces groups/ranger regiments to

provide direct, on site weather support.

AF Operational Weather Squadrons

(OWSs) and Combat Weather Teams

(CWTs) provide garrison and tactical

weather warning, observing, forecasting, special support, and staff weather

officer (SWO) services to Combat,

Combat Support, and Combat Service

Support units throughout the peacetime/war continuum (Figure 3-DOD-18).

Peacetime garrison activities include

supporting flying operations at Army

Airfields and severe weather watch,

warning, and advisory services for aircraft and post resource protection. The

AF is responsible for installation, operation, and maintenance of standard AF

meteorological and observing equipment at Army Airfield Weather

Stations. Tactically, the Army is

responsible for vehicles, tactical communications, and weather effects criteria. The Armys Integrated

Meteorological System (IMETS) is

fielded for these purposes and is operated by AF CWTs. The Army also

maintains IMETS hardware and software, with the AF maintaining AF software that performs meteorological

functions within IMETS. IMETS uses

AF meteorological software, but

IMETS is hosted on an Army vehicle,

uses Army tactical communications

and Army weather effects software.

IMETS baseline software is hosted on

Army Common Hardware and is

Defense Information Infrastructure

Common Operating Environment

(DIICOE) and Joint Technical

Architecture - Army (JTA-A) compliant. The Army provides other tactical

equipment to AF CWTs through an

Army Table of Organizations and

Equipment (TOE).

Eighth U.S. Army 

Eighth United States Army (8th U.S.

Army) requires and uses Army

resources to conduct two major meteorological services in direct support of

Army operations: collecting and disseminating upper air observations for

artillery support, and collecting and

disseminating limited surface weather

observations to support all tactical

units and operations.

Two artillery meteorological

(ARTYMET) crews with the Second

Infantry Division use AN/TMQ-41

Meteorological Measuring Sets to collect upper air observations for direct

use by field artillery units. ARTYMET

crews also collect routine (usually

daily) upper air observations for training; these observations are typically

fed into the global weather database.

Additionally, under the Forward

Area Limited Observing Program

(FALOP), Army personnel use tactical

weather kits to collect limited weather

observations in data sparse, forward

areas. Observations are typically colFigure 3-DOD-18. Forecasting wind direction and speed is critical to support paradrop operations, such as this supply drop

to elements of the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan's Bahgran Valley. (U.S. Army Photo by SPC Preston Cheeks).
SECTION 3 DOD 115

lected by intelligence personnel at

brigade and battalion tactical operations centers (TOC) during contingencies or exercises and, in turn, are disseminated to and through AF CWTs

supporting Army air, ground, or special

operations.

AF weather personnel assigned to

the 607th Weather Squadron (607 WS)

provide fixed and tactical weather support to 8th U.S. Army units and installations. 607 WS provides garrison and

tactical weather observing, advisory,

mission forecast, special support, and

SWO services during contingency,

exercise, and armistice operations.

607 WS units provide direct, on-site

support at eight 8th U.S. Army installations and at deployed locations.

Support is focused on air, ground, special operations, and other combat and

combat support missions. In late

FY 2002, 607 WS transferred armistice

theater forecast responsibility to the

20th Operational Weather Squadron

(20 OWS) at Yokota Air Force Base in

Japan. The 8th U.S. Army Combat

Weather Teams are now primarily

responsible for providing their customers with observations and tailored

mission execution forecasts based on

20 OWS overarching forecasts. The

lead for METOC support during exercises and contingencies remains with

the 607 WS Combined METOC

Forecast Unit, in close coordination

with 20 OWS. In FY 2004, 607 WS

will continue to provide 78 trained

weather personnel and will require

fixed and tactical weather sensing, data

processing, and communications

equipment. 8th U.S. Army provides

AF weather units needed garrison and

tactical communications, tactical vehicles, MTOE and CTA equipment, and

operating funds (for expendables,

maintenance, etc.) IAW

AR 115-10/AFJI 15-157 (June 1996).

United States Army In Europe

(USAREUR) And Seventh Army

United States Army Europe

(USAREUR) and 7th Army require

and use Army resources to conduct

meteorological services in direct support of Army operations. These services include collecting and disseminating

upper air observations for artillery support and collecting and disseminating

limited surface weather observations to

support all tactical units and operations.

7th Weather Squadron (7WS) provides USAREUR/7th Army in-garrison and tactical weather intelligence

and support. This includes observing

services for in-garrison operations,

contingency and exercise operations,

SWO services, and specialized support. The United States Air Forces in

Europe (USAFE) OWS at Sembach

AB, Germany, provides operationallevel forecast products for the

European Command Area of

Responsibility, to include all

USAREUR units. Combat weather

teams located at V Corps and its aviation assets, 1st Infantry Division and

its aviation brigade, 1st Armored

Division and it aviation brigade,

Southern European Task Force, and

7th Army Training Command, as well

as 7WS supporting 7th Army, evaluate

and tailor these forecast products to

produce mission execution forecasts

(Figure 3-DOD-19).

The mission of 7WS and its

9 detachments is to provide weather

operations packages to conform to the

Army's Transformation initiative.

7WS will match the deploying weather

force structure to the mission that

USAREUR is called upon to execute.

7WS will utilize "reachback" capabilities to the maximum extent possible to

minimize the deployed footprint without compromising weather operations.

The Automated Meteorological

Information System (AMIS) is the primary in-garrison weather software for

receiving forecast graphics and

alphanumeric data. Data is received

via Very Small Aperture Terminal

(VSAT) and hard-wire circuits. The

New Tactical Forecast System (NTFS)

is the primary equipment used for

deployed locations with data received

via Tactical VSAT, NIPRNET and

SIPRNET. Units also use the NATO

Automated Meteorological Information System (NAMIS) to receive

NATO generated weather products.

NAMIS software is hosted on a laptop

and receives data via VSAT. Satellite

imagery (METEOSAT and DMSP) is

received via the Small Tactical

Terminal (STT), a direct readout system. Seven IMETS have been fielded

within USAREUR. The IMETS is

geared to interface as a module of the

Army Battle Command System to

inject weather decision products into

the common battle picture for Army

commanders. One lighter version of

the IMETS (IMETS-L) was fielded in

FY 2003 with further fielding expected

in USAREUR in FY 2004. This version is designed to mirror the capabilities of the IMETS Vehicle mounted

configuration currently fielded, but is

much more deployable.

USAREUR provides supporting

USAF weather teams with tactical

vehicles, MTOE and Common Table

of Allowances (CTA) equipment and

operating funds (expendables, maintenance, etc.). Four ARTYMET sections

collect upper air observations for direct

use by field artillery units. The

Forward Area Limited Observing

Program (FALOP) consists of Army

personnel taking limited observations

at forward areas in the battlespace.

U.S. Army Special Operations

Command (USASOC)

Weather support to U.S. Army

Special Operations Command

(USASOC) allows commanders to

improve efficiency, effectiveness and

safety of operations for USASOC

units. USASOC personnel use tactical

weather kits to collect limited weather

data and provide limited scope meteorological observations from permissive,

semi-permissive and uncertain environments in direct support of the Army.

Army Special Operations Forces
116 DOD SECTION 3

(SOF) collect weather data at the

deployed team level. These observations are passed to operating bases for

use by Army commanders and staff, as

well as to Air Force Special Operations

Command (AFSOC) and ANG weather personnel. AFSOC personnel providing direct support to USASOC units

are assigned to the 10th Combat

Weather Squadron (10 CWS), OL-A,

320 Special Tactics Squadron (STS)

and OL-A 321 STS. ANG personnel

providing direct support to USASOC

when activated are assigned to the

107th Weather Flight (WF) Michigan

ANG, 146th WF Pennsylvania ANG

and 181st WF Texas ANG. These

weather units provide garrison and tactical support to USASOC units including the 75th Ranger Regiment, 160th

Special Operations Aviation Regiment,

seven Special Forces Groups, two

Psychological Operations Groups and

all group and regimental subordinate

battalions. Support provided includes

climatology and solar/lunar illumination tables and studies, courses of

action and mission impacts analysis,

weather watch/warning services, mission execution forecasts, flight weather

briefings, drop/landing zone forecasts,

training to SOF, host nation and

indigenous forces on conducting limited observation programs, surface,

upper-air and tactical radar observations, strategic weather reconnaissance

and Foreign Internal Defense analysis,

surveys and training. The 10 CWS

also provides staff support to

USASOC, U.S. Army Special Forces

Command (Airborne) and the U.S.

Army John F. Kennedy Special

Warfare Center and School.

USASOC plans and expends

resources for operational and administrative support to AFSOC, 10th

Combat Weather Squadron providing

meteorological service support to

USASOC components. USASOC provides funding for required training

beyond standard special operations

weather training, office and deployable

automation systems and connectivity

to local networks, dedicated tactical

communications systems, operations

and maintenance/sustainment to support USASOC requirements, funding

for Temporary Duty for USASOC

requirements, and organizational

clothing and individual equipment.

Additionally, USASOC covers expenditures for tactical equipment items

such as weapons, NBC equipment,

communications, Army developed and

procured meteorological equipment,

power, vehicles, life support equipment required to accomplish USASOC

weather support missions, and for

maintenance and supplies for

USASOC provided equipment.

Seventeen Integrated Meteorological

Systems-Light (IMETS-L) have been

fielded within USASOC. IMETS-L

provides a mobile automated weather

data receiving, processing and dissemination system to AF CWTS supporting SOF. IMETS-L also provides digital weather support, real-time tailored

weather information, forecasts, and

weather effects on friendly and hostile

weapons systems to the warfighters.

USASOC also provides funding for

facilities, office space, office furniture,

and real property to house supporting

combat weather units, as well as secure

storage of required equipment.

United States Army Pacific

(USARPAC)

United States Army Pacific

(USARPAC) uses Army resources to

conduct meteorological services in

direct support of Army operations.

These services include collecting and

disseminating upper air observations

for artillery support and collecting and

disseminating surface weather observations to support tactical units and

operations.

USARPAC provides supporting

USAF units with tactical vehicles,

MTOE and Common Table of

Allowances (CTA) equipment and

operations and maintenance funds.

The Armys IMETS and AFs NTFS

have been fielded within USARPAC as

the primary meteorological equipment

for deployed operations. The IMETS

and NTFS reachback for data via Army

provided NIPRNET and SIPRNET

conduits. Deployed weather teams

also use the Small Tactical Terminal

(STT) for direct reception of weather

satellite imagery.

There are three subordinate commands within USARPAC: United

States Army, Hawaii (USARHAW),

United States Army, Alaska

(USARAK), and United States Army,

Japan (USARJ).

The 17th OWS provides USARPAC

with garrison and tactical weather

warnings, forecasts, special support,

and SWO services during contingencies and humanitarian operations.

Additional CWTs assigned to U.S.

Army Japan (USARJ), U.S. Army

Hawaii (USARHAW) (including the

25th ID (-)), and U.S. Army Alaska

(USARAK) (including 172 SIB), provide direct, on-site support at

5 USARPAC installations. The CWTs

also deploy with their customers providing tailored battlefield observations

and forecasts. AF weather reengineering will reduce the requirement for forward deployed weather personnel, and

instead leverage IMETS and other

recently fielded technology for reach

back capability. The 17th OWS will

provide regional weather support,

allowing the forward deployed CWTs

to focus on specific area and target

forecasts.

The 20th OWS at Yokota AB, Japan,

provides operational-level forecast

products for the USARJ AOR, to

include all USARJ units. A member of

the 20th OWS's staff serves as the

USARJ's SWO. In addition, specific

resource protection support (i.e. weather advisories, warnings, and watches)

is provided for Camp Zama, Japan. An

AF CWT assigned to the 374th

Operational Support Squadron at

Yokota AB is located at Camp Zama.
SECTION 3 DOD 117

It provides observational support and

produces mission execution forecasts

to support aviation operations.

The 11th OWS at Elmendorf AFB,

AK, provides operational-level forecast products for the Alaskan

Command AOR, to include all

USARAK units. The Commander,

11th OWS, serves as the CG,

USARAK's SWO. Additionally, the

11th OWS is responsible for Terminal

Aerodrome Forecasts for Fort

Wainwright, along with resource protection weather support (i.e. weather

advisories, warnings, and watches) for

Forts Wainwright, Greely, and

Richardson. The 11th OWS provides

flight weather briefing support, as

required, to Army, Army Reserve, and

Army National Guard aviation assets

in theater. An AF CWT (3 ASOS/WE)

is collocated with the 172nd Infantry

Brigade (Separate); 172nd Stryker

Brigade Combat Team (172 SBCT), at

Fort Wainwright; and the aviation

assets of 4th Battalion, 123d Aviation

Regiment. 3rd ASOS/WE provides

weather support for both tactical and

garrison operations, observes the

atmosphere and evaluates, then tailors,

forecast products to produce Mission

Execution Forecasts and staff briefings.

After the SBCT conversion, 172 SBCT

will include tactical unmanned aerial

vehicles (T-UAVs), whose operators

will also receive their weather support

from the 3rd ASOS/WE. The Alaska

Army National Guard operates the airfield at Fort Richardson.

United States Army Forces Command

(FORSCOM)

Weather support to the U.S. Army

Forces Command (FORSCOM) is

diverse and demanding. FORSCOM,

the Army's largest major command,

requires and uses Army resources to

conduct meteorological services in

direct support of Army operations.

These services include collecting and

disseminating upper air observations

for artillery support and collecting and

disseminating limited surface weather

observations to support all tactical

units and operations. FORSCOM consists of more than 735,000 AC and RC

soldiers. These soldiers account for

more than 80 percent of the Army's

combat power. FORSCOM trains,

mobilizes, deploys, and sustains combat ready forces capable of responding

rapidly to crises worldwide. The AC

of FORSCOM has nearly 200,000 soldiers. Third U.S. Army is the Army

component of U.S. Central Command

(USCENTCOM), which is the joint

command responsible for Southwest

Asia (SWA), the Persian Gulf, and the

Horn of Africa. FORSCOM also commands three Army Corps: I Corps at

Fort Lewis, Washington, III Corps at

Fort Hood, Texas, and XVIII Airborne

Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Together they include six divisions,

three armored cavalry regiments, five

separate brigades, and a range of other

corps combat, combat support, and

combat service support units. The two

Continental U.S. Armies (CONUSAs),

First U.S. Army and Fifth U.S. Army,

are responsible for training, mobilization, and deployment support to

Reserve Component units in

FORSCOM.

A major subordinate command to

FORSCOM, the U.S. Army Reserve

Command (USARC), commands all

U.S. Army Reserve units in the continental United States except those

assigned to Special Operations

Command. FORSCOM's Army

Reserve strength stands at approximately 190,000 soldiers. USARC

units are part of the Federal force and

make their primary contribution to

FORSCOM combat power in combat

support and combat service support

specialties such as medical, civil

affairs, transportation, maintenance

and supply.

The Army National Guard (ARNG)

provides FORSCOM a balanced force

of eight National Guard combat divisions, 14 enhanced separate brigades,

and a variety of both combat support

and combat service support units. The

current ARNG strength is approximately 347,000 soldiers.

Figure 3-DOD-19. Accurate weather forecasting for the onset and duration of

events such as dust and sand is important for the Army's day-to-day operations.

(U.S. Army Photo by Pfc James Matise)
118 DOD SECTION 3

U.S. Army Signal Command also

falls under control of FORSCOM and

provides all Echelon Above Corps

(EAC) tactical, power projection, and

strategic signal support to war fighting

unified commanders as well as Army

component commanders, in both war

and peace.

Weather support to FORSCOM's AC

units comes from dedicated AF CWTs

aligned under three Air Support

Operations Groups (ASOGs):

1st ASOG at Fort Lewis, Washington;

3rd ASOG at Fort Hood, Texas; and

18th ASOG at Pope AFB, North

Carolina. A weather squadron for each

ASOG makes up the Corps' CWT.

Each Army division has their

own dedicated CWT. These

CWTs are aligned under an Air

Support Operations Squadron

(ASOS) or one of the weather

squadrons, at their respective

installations. Corps and division

CWTs are authorized enough

personnel and equipment to support a variety of missions at the

various Army echelons. Weather

support at each Army echelon is

provided according to Army

Field Manual 34-81, Air Force

Joint Pamphlet 15-127, Weather

Support for Army Tactical

Operations. Currently, there are

nearly 350 AF weather authorizations supporting various echelons across FORSCOM. These

AF weather personnel provide

garrison and tactical weather

warning, observing, mission execution forecast, special support,

and SWO services during peacetime, combat, contingency, exercise, or armistice operations

(Figure 3-DOD-20).

FORSCOM assigned CWTs

provide direct, on-site support at ten

major installations, including the

National Training Center at Fort Irwin,

California, the Joint Readiness

Training Center at Fort Polk,

Louisiana, and at deployed locations.

Support is focused on air, ground, special operations, other combat, and

combat support missions.

FORSCOM provides supporting AF

CWTs with a Modified Table of

Organization and Equipment (MTOE)

and operating funds (expendables,

maintenance, etc.). Ten ARTYMET

sections, comprised of Army weather

personnel, collect upper air observations for direct use by field artillery

units.

The AFs N-TFS is the primary ingarrison and tactical weather equipment for receiving graphics and

alphanumeric data. Data is received

via the VSAT, T-VSAT, Non-Secure

Internet Protocol Router Network, and

Secure Internet Protocol Router

Network. The Small Tactical Terminal

receives Geostationary and polar orbiting satellite weather imagery from the

GOES, GMS, METEOSAT, DMSP,

and NOAA meteorological satellites.

Twenty-seven IMETS, developed by

the Army Research Laboratory, have

been fielded within FORSCOM.

FORSCOM has fielded commercial

Automated Weather Observing

Systems at Yakima Training Center

Washington, Fort Campbell, Kentucky,

and Georgetown Bahamas.

Training and Doctrine Command

(TRADOC) Programs

Headquarters, TRADOC is responsible for development and management

of weather training programs, Army

and Joint weather support doctrine

(concepts and field manuals), and the

establishment of requirement documents for Army tactical weather

support. Headquarters,

TRADOC is the approval

authority for Army-AF weather

doctrine, Army weather hardware requirements, and weather

support policy. Key mission

area for the next few years will

be to coordinate weather

requirements during AF Weather

Reengineering and Army

Transformation.

The Armys IMETS continues

as a state of the art weather forecast system. Plans are currently

underway to merge the best features of the IMETS with the best

features of the AFs New

Tactical Forecast System

(NTFS) (used by CWTs supporting deployed USAF missions).

The goal is to develop a single

objective weather system, common to both services - to come

on line in the 2005 time frame.

The Schools and Battle Labs

The U.S. Army Intelligence

Center and Fort Huachuca

(USAIC&FH) is the functional

proponent for Army tactical weather

support. The USAIC&FH Weather

Support Team (WST) advises the CG,

USAIC&FH, Army Research

Laboratory, and Air Force Weather

(AFW) on Army weather support

Figure 3-DOD-20. Weather forecaster MSgt. Ray

Perez poses with the 4th Infantry Division Aviation

Brigade's IMETS at Baghdad International Airport

during Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Army Photo).
SECTION 3 DOD 119

requirements. The WST succeeded in

standing up a full-time manager for the

IMETS program, by establishing and

staffing the TRADOC System

Manager-IMETS office.

In addition, the WST monitors

weather training to Army Intelligence

and AFW personnel supporting the

Army. During FY 2003-04 the WST

will partner with USAIC&FH's 111th

MI Brigade to stand up an improved

SWO course. The new course will

lengthen from ten days to four weeks,

and will be taught eight times each

year. The new course goes into deeper

detail, teaching combat field skills and

broader coverage of tactics, techniques, and procedures to AF weather

forecasters going to their first operational Army assignment.

Over the last year, the WST continued to update and expand the weather

effects critical threshold value database, which is incorporated into the

joint-service Integrated Weather

Effects Decision Aid (IWEDA).

Finally, they worked with Air Staff

Directorate of Weather to update the

Operational Requirements Document

(ORD) for IMETS.

The AF SWO at the Army's

Combined Arms Center (CAC) is the

primary overseer of the Tables of

Organization and Equipment for

CWTs supporting Army operations.

The CAC SWO also arranges for and

provides environmental data, concepts

of operation, and weather support

guidance for various programs, projects, and studies conducted by the

TRADOC System Manager for Army

Battle Command System, the Battle

Command Battle LaboratoryLeavenworth, and the TRADOC

Analysis Center. Development of

weather scripts and climatological

packages to support modeling and simulation exercises of the Battle

Command Training Program (BCTP),

the Command and General Staff

College (CGSC) and the National

Simulation Center at Fort Leavenworth

is another key CAC SWO task.

The U.S. Army Field Artillery

School (USAFAS), Fort Sill,

Oklahoma, is the proponent for upper

air meteorological support to the

Army. Artillery meteorological crews,

AC and RC, currently use the

AN/TMQ-50 to measure surface

weather parameters, and the

AN/TMQ-41 Meteorological

Measuring Set (MMS) to take upper

air observations. The MMS provides

weather data to the Field Artillery

Tactical Data System for ballistic calculations; to AF CWTs for weather

forecasting; and to the Chemical

Officer for obscurant deployment, and

Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC)

defense operations. TRADOC will

work with USAFAS to ensure that surface and upper air observations are

sent back to weather centrals where

they can be ingested into mesoscale

meteorological models. Over the next

few years, the MMS will be replaced

by an atmospheric sounder system

(MMS-P). The sounder can take upper

air observations more rapidly and

accurately and preclude the logistical

burden of helium/hydrogen balloonbased systems.

The Engineer School (USAES), Fort

Leonard-Wood, Missouri coordinates

weather support requirements for

Terrain Analysis and Topographic

Engineering. USAES develops methods of measuring and forecasting state

of the ground for trafficability assessments using input weather data fields.

Their mission also includes identifying, and documenting requirements to

interface meteorological and engineer

battlefield systems. They employ an

AF NCO instructor at the terrain

school at Fort Belvoir to teach weather

effects on cross-country mobility and

engineer missions. USAES, the Army

Military Police School, and the

Chemical School, all located at Fort

Leonard-Wood, Missouri, do not

employ meteorologists.

The Aviation Center at Fort Rucker

incorporates weather instruction and

procedures into rotary-wing training

programs in their mission areas. The

Center has requirements for weather

observations and AF forecast support

at Cairns Army Airfield, Troy

Municipal Airport (MAP), Alabama,

and Andalusia MAP, Alabama.

Additionally, Fort Rucker operates

observing and communications equipment to relay weather intelligence and

resource protection advisories to

numerous Army remote training sites.

During FY 2003-04, Air Combat

Command will civilianize most weather support to Army Aviation operations

at Fort Rucker and surrounding satellite airfields. Two active duty weather

officer positions are allocated to provide support to curriculum, and concept development at the Aviation

School.

The weather units at Ft Benning,

Fort Knox, Fort Rucker, and Fort

Huachuca provide airfield observing

and forecast support to their respective

Army posts.

During FY 2003-04, as directed by

the Air Force Chief of Staff, the weather forecasting and observing functions

at several TRADOC posts will be outsourced. This direct conversion

impacts a total of 8 civilians and

38 military at 9 locations as shown in

Table 3.2.

Army National Guard (ARNG)

Artillery

The Army National Guard has

48 Meteorological Sections assigned to

artillery units at Division level, Field

Artillery Brigades, and in Separate

Brigades. The ARTYMET sections

provide upper air observations at least

39 training days each year supporting

artillery live fire during Annual

Training and monthly Inactive Duty

Training. The ARTYMET sections

support an average of 20 live fire training days and annually expend in excess

of 100 balloons per section. The

ARNG is in the process of modernizing to the Meteorological Measuring
120 DOD SECTION 3

Set (MMS), AN/TMQ-41A.

Army Corps of Engineers Civil

Operational Activities

The Corps of Engineers (COE) uses

a network of about 10,849 land-based

gauges. About 55 percent of the sites

collect meteorological data, 35 percent

a combination of hydrologic and meteorological data, and 10 percent hydrologic or water quality data. The Corps

funds or partially funds 58 percent

(6,350) of all the gauges it used.

Meteorological gauges commonly

measure minimum of precipitation,

temperature as a minimum. Most sites

also measure hydrological data. All

data are used in the regulation of COE

dams and other water projects used for

flood control, navigation, hydroelectric power, irrigation, water supply,

water quality, and recreation. The

COE transfers funds to NOAA/

National Weather Service (NWS) to

collect and maintain precipitation

information from 826 of meteorological sites. Similarly, COE transfers

funds to the U.S. Geological Survey to

maintain precipitation data collection

from 460 sites, while the COE maintains the rest. Seventy-five percent of

all Corps sites provide real-time via

satellite, microwaves, meterbursts,

landlines, or radio. Data from COE

gauging sites are available to other federal, state and local agencies. The

NOAA NWS uses 100 percent of all

Corps data. Most of the data is also

used my other agencies.

United States Army Space and Missile

Defense Command (USASMDC)

Army Space Command

(ARSPACE), an USASMDC component, provides operational space

weather support on a limited basis to

Army units through it's Army Space

Support Teams (ARSST), as well as

Space Operations Officers (FA40).

Limited space weather support is provided to Army warfighters as part of

ARSPACE's effort to improve overall

space support and situational awareness. Potential space weather effects

include disruptions of over the horizon

communications, radar interference,

space environment induced satellite

service disruptions, high flyer radiation hazards and hazard warnings to

civil power grids resulting from geomagnetic activity.

Force Development and Integration

Center (FDIC), a part of USASMDC,

is responsible for articulating space

requirements including space weather.

In addition, FDIC is responsible for

development and execution of the

Space Operations Officer's

Qualification (SOOQ) Course that is

the primary training tool for Space

Operations Officers. Currently, the

Space Weather portion consists of

3 hours of instruction titled, Impacts of

Space Weather and Effects of

Atmospheric Weather. Plans are being

worked within FDIC to extend the

SOOQ training concept to enlisted

Army personnel and the Department of

the Army Civilian workforce. 

The High Energy Laser Systems Test

Facility (HELSTF), a subcommand of

USASMDC located on White Sands

Missile Range, is designated as the

DOD National Test Range for high

energy laser test and evaluation. In

addition to laser systems test and evaluation, extensive use has been made of

on-site laser systems to perform damage and vulnerability testing on laserhardened materials, missile and aircraft components, and assorted battlefield equipment. The atmospheric sciences/meteorological mission is to

support HELSTF activities by providing atmospheric propagation and meteorological measurements, planning,

and analysis as required. These capabilities also support the safe storage,

handling and use of the toxic laser

fuels.

United States Army Kwajalein Atoll

(USAKA) is a subcommand of USASMDC, which provides operational support for the Ronald Reagan Ballistic

Missile Defense Test Site (RTS). The

RTS (Figure 3-DoD-21) meteorological services support contractor performs meteorological support for range

activities including missile operations

Figure 3-DOD-21. USASMDC is

responsible for meteorological support to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic

Missile Defense Test Site in the

remote Kwajalein Atoll (United States

Army photo).

Table 3.2 Planned outsourcing of weather positions.

LOCATION BASE MILITARY CIVILIAN TOTAL

Virginia Fort Belvoir 5 0 5

Georgia Fort Benning 7 0 7

Kentucky Fort Knox 5 0 5

Missouri Fort Leonard Wood 0 3 3

Oklahoma Fort Sill 5 0 5

Arizona Libby Army Airfield 1 3 4

Alabama Fort Rucker 13 0 13

Alabama Andalusia 2 0 2

Alabama Troy Municipal Arpt 0 2 2

TOTAL 38 8 46
SECTION 3 DOD 121

within the atoll, intra-atoll transportation (marine and aircraft), remote

island missile launches including

Wake Island, and severe tropical

weather emergency center operations.

Supporting these operations are local

surface and upper air observations

using five upper air sounding systems

(two mobile), one polarimetericDoppler S-band radar, one Doppler

C-band radar, two DMSP/NOAA satellite receivers (one mobile) both having

McIDAS display and management systems, one geostationary satellite

receiver, and an intra-atoll mesonet

with an automatic surface observation

system at Roi-Namur airfield. In addition, RTS meteorological support in

cooperation with NASA is supporting

global climate studies through the

Tropical Rainfall Measurements

Mission and the follow-on program of

Global Precipitation Measurement and

a smaller program of monitoring the

solar-earth radiation flux for

NOAA/ERL.

WEATHER SUPPORT FOR

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT,

TEST, AND EVALUATION (RDTE)

Under Army-AF agreement, the

Army has responsibility for weather

support for research, development,

test, and evaluation (RDTE) to support

Army ground combat missions as

specified in AR 115-10/AFJI 15-157.

The Corps of Engineers (COE), and

the Army Materiel Command (AMC)

are the major contributors to weather

research. The Medical Research and

Development Command does research

related to soldiers performance in the

range of weather conditions expected

to be encountered in all theaters of

operations. The Army Test and

Evaluation Command (ATEC) is

responsible for operational meteorological support to Army RDT&E.

Corps of Engineers (COE)

The Corps of Engineers (COE) is

responsible for reviewing all emerging

Army systems for environmental

effects, as stated in Army

Regulation 70-1. The Topographic

Engineering Center (TEC), and the

Cold Regions Research and

Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), of

COE's Engineer Research and

Development Center (ERDC), develop

TDAs to interpret the impact of weather on terrain to enhance Army operations. TDAs are transitioned to the

Digital Topographic Support System

(DTSS).

ERDC's Topographic Engineering

Center, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, provides

basic and applied environmental support to Army R&D programs and coordinates the development of TDAs

relating to environmental effects on

combat systems, operations, and personnel. This includes the development

and integration of environmental

effects databases and models that are

relevant to military plans, operations

and the acquisition communities. TEC

also develops models and techniques

to assist in the generation of proxy

environmental information (climate

and terrain) for data sparse areas and

the integration of models to enable the

spreading of this information spatially

over map backgrounds. TEC is also

responsible for developing

integrated software modules that are designed to be

exploited in the synthetic

environment arena and for

developing techniques to

portray natural and induced

battlefield environments,

thus enhancing computerized battle simulations.

TEC also contributes to the

development of policies

and procedures for the consideration of realistic natural environmental conditions for application in the

materiel acquisition

process. As preparer and

custodian of AR 70-38,

TEC provides special climatological studies and

guidance to materiel acquisition activities. TEC also reviews all emerging

materiel systems for environmental

effects.

Under its military mission, ERDC's

Cold Regions Research and

Engineering Laboratory, Hanover, NH

provides support to Army weapon systems RDTE with climatological studies on the effects of winter environment on Army operations. CRREL

conducts basic research in sensor signal interaction with snow, ice, and

frozen soil, icing accretion on surfaces

and structures, deicing technologies,

and cold regions surface-air boundary

process. CRREL develops databases

and models predicting the state of the

terrain supporting tactical decision aids

such as mobility analysis and sensor

performance. Other programs include

weather effects on environmental

research for military training lands,

winter effects on acoustic sensors, helicopter pre-flight deicing and airborne

icing avoidance, and estimating snowwater equivalence for predicting snow

melt runoff and potential for flooding.

In a recent CRREL ILIR program

success, researchers were able to prove

a hypothesis that the clustering of

Figure 3-DOD-22.Ice formation from a clustered

supercooled water distribution in the NASA Glenn

Research Center Icing Research Tunnel. U.S. Army

Photo
122 DOD SECTION 3

cloud water affects ice shape formation

on the leading edge of the wing resulting in a greater aerodynamic penalty

than ice formed from a constant or

Poissonian distribution. Figure 3-DOD-22

shows an ice formation from a clustered supercooled water distribution in

the NASA Glenn Research Center

Icing Research Tunnel. Wind tunnel

and numerical modeling of icing of aircraft aerodynamic surfaces use

Poissonian liquid water distributions to

produce ice shapes. Measurements in

natural clouds demonstrate liquid

water values tend to be clustered rather

than constant.

Army Materiel Command (AMC)

The Army Materiel Command

(AMC) is responsible for the design,

development, test, and evaluation of

equipment to satisfy requirements for

meteorological support equipment.

AMC provides climatological and

meteorological support to RDTE projects involving electro-optics and

obscurants. It is also responsible for

determining weather effects critical

threshold values and environmental

sensitivities of battlefield systems.

AMC has several subcommands and

elements carrying out weather research

and development responsibilities.

Within the Army Research

Laboratory (ARL), the Army Research

Office (ARO) manages the Army's

extramural basic research program in

the atmospheric sciences and the

Battlefield Environment (BE) Division

is the lead DOD agency for research

and development in the portion of the

atmosphere unique to the Army

warfighter's battlespace--the planetary

boundary layer.

BE's mission is to provide the technology and tools (1) for the Warfighter

to know and exploit weather on the

battlefield, (2) for the Commander to

avoid exposing the Soldier to environmental hazards, (3) for the Materiel

Developer to quantify the atmospheric

effects and minimize the weather

impacts on developmental weapons

systems, and (4) that improve the

understanding and the underlying science of atmospheric processes at sufficiently high resolution and fidelity to

address the close combat environments

that will face the Army's future

Objective Force. Within the DOD, BE

is the lead agency for multi-service

R&D programs in transport and dispersion modeling, boundary layer meteorology over land, and atmospheric

effects on boundary layer acoustic and

electro-optic propagation. In addition,

BE contributes to tri-service goals in

the areas of theater data fusion and

predictions, modeling of boundary

layer processes, and assessing atmospheric effects on military system performance. The BE program is driven

by the Army's need for meteorological

information at smaller scales than used

by the AF, Navy, or civilian community, consistent with resolving the effects

of local terrain features such as atmospheric conditions within the urban

canyons or under vegetative canopies.

The BE program also seeks to address

how to generate meteorological data

over sensor-sparse geographic regions

and how to incorporate environmental

information from non-standard meteorological sensors and non-traditional

weather intelligence sources in near

real-time.

While the AF provides the Army

with its basic tactical weather support,

the Army is tasked to provide technology to support service unique requirements and systems. Tactical Army

weather technology includes the distribution of weather forecasts, quantitative effects on system performance,

and overall impacts on weapons and

operations to the Battlefield Functional

Area analysis systems (intelligence,

maneuver, logistics, artillery, air

defense, terrain analysis) on the current Army Battle Command System

(ABCS). BE research for future products is being tailored to the evolving

Army Objective Force and Future

Combat System requirements for

weather intelligence for continuous

and en-route updates to mission planning and execution. This includes the

continuous processing of real time

atmospheric sensing data and fusion to

update a dynamic knowledge base of

battlefield environmental effects. This

database will provide continuous joint

situation awareness of the atmospheric

environment and "on demand" generation of alerts, warnings and meteorological decision aids appropriate to

specific units and warfighters at all

echelons. This new capability will

require development of technologies to

assimilate and fuse meteorological

information in real time from a variety

of local sensors along with standard

weather observations and remote sensing. Some key weather intelligence

may not be in traditional weather

observation formats or acquired using

standard meteorological sensors at the

standard levels.

BE and the PD-IMETS office are

partnering with the Air Force in new

programs such as the development of a

common Product Tailoring Warfighter

Application (PTWA). The Army's

IMETS and Air Forces' N-TFS software baselines are to converge and

transition into one baseline named

PTWA by June 2005. This PTWA

baseline combines the AF forecast

functions with the Army's Command

and Control hooks and weather effects

software.

The BE Division within the ARL

Computational and Information

Sciences Directorate, consists of three

Branches and two Centers. These span

the two BE Division sites at Adelphi,

Maryland, and White Sand Missile

Range, New Mexico. The three

branches combine basic and applied

research programs in the areas of

atmospheric aerosols and contaminants, chemical/biological transport

and dispersion, planetary boundary

layer processes, and atmospheric

investigations. The two Centers focus

on establishing university and external
SECTION 3 DOD 123

laboratory partnerships and providing

technology transition of ARL products

for support of Army RDTE on

weapons systems and weather information technology for tactical command and control and field artillery

systems.

The Atmospheric Effects Branch

provides basic research and applies

theories, laboratory measurements and

field studies to produce innovative

models, databases and new techniques

that quantify the atmosphere and its

effects on electro-optical and acoustic

propagation, military systems and

operations. This includes R&D to

characterize simple and complex battlefield atmosphere obscurants,

aerosols, gasses, liquids, particles, and

various chemical and biological

agents. These significantly reduce military system performance or exhibit

signatures that are typically small,

complex and difficult to distinguish

relative to the natural background

environment. A range of acoustic

propagation models are developed and

verified to treat the propagation of

acoustic spectral signatures through

the atmosphere, including complex

3-D meteorological profiles, atmospheric scattering, ground impedance,

and non-uniform terrain effects.

Spectral emission, absorption, extinction, fluorescence, inelastic scattering,

changes in polarization, turbulence

effects and non-linear propagation are

modeled and measured to improve

intelligence and understanding through

the battlefield atmosphere and to mitigate adverse effects and unwanted signals.

The Boundary Layer Meteorology

Branch conducts a research program in

the micrometeorological processes and

structure of the atmospheric boundary

layer. This program focuses on the

interaction of the land-air interface

with wind fields, turbulence, and fluxes and the modeling of aerosol and

chemical-biological transport and dispersion in the tactical environment

including urban domains. A range of

numerical weather models is

addressed, including hydrostatic, nonhydrostatic and diagnostic gridded

meteorological models. These are verified against existing numerical weather prediction models and data.

The Atmospheric Investigations

Branch addresses improved methods to

measure the atmosphere and its

processes, to acquire tactical weather

data, perform information assimilation

and distribution. It includes exploitation of commercial and military satellite technology. The gridded meteorological databases support Army command and control systems and field

artillery. Rule-based tactical decision

aids for impacts of weather on military

systems, platforms and operations are

produced based on validated Army

weather requirements. Software products are analyzed, verified and delivered for integration into the Army's

IMETS. IMETS is the weather INTEL

functional area of the Army Battle

Command Systems. 

The Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Exploitation (ABLE) facilities include

one site in a complex littoral region

located at Blossom Point, Maryland,

and another in the desert arid region

located at White Sands Missile Range,

New Mexico. These two sites are fully

instrumented and capable of providing

weather data measurements that are

used by all aspects of the Division's

research and development program.

The Army Research Office,

Research Triangle Park, North

Carolina, manages the Army's extramural basic research program in the

atmospheric sciences. These programs

are concerned with understanding the

dynamical and physical processes of

the atmospheric boundary layer at

scales of interest to the Army (millimeters to 10's of kilometers) through

measurements, simulations, and theoretical considerations. The basic

research program is conducted through

the peer-reviewed, individual investigator program and occasional special

initiatives. The focus of the research is

on the atmospheric processes and

effects of the atmospheric boundary

layer where the Army operates.

Objectives of the research are to develop, from first principles, the physical

basis for understanding the boundary

layer processes, thereby leading to better understanding of atmospheric

effects on soldiers, materials, and

weapon systems. The research examines dispersion of battlefield materials,

the effects of heterogeneous terrain

features on airflow, and the development of natural obscurations throughout the diurnal cycle. An essential element of the research is the development of instrumentation to measure the

volumetric fields of wind velocity,

temperature, and moisture of the

boundary layer at turbulence time

scales. Special funding areas are also

managed. The Defense University

Research and Instrumentation Program

(DURIP) provides funds for instrumentation needed to support ongoing

research activities. The Defense

Experimental Program to Stimulate

Competitive Research (DEPSCoR)

participation is a competition restricted

to universities in certain states that

compete for additional basic research

funds. Also basic research under the

Small Business Innovative Research

Program (SBIR) is managed for selected topics. A primary focus continues

on the analysis and understanding of

the stable boundary layer. New initiatives include acoustic tomography of

the atmospheric surface layer and

measurement and analyses of wind

fields in an urban area.

The following Communications

Electronics Command (CECOM)

organizations provide support to developing and fielding weather programs:

Logistics Readiness Center (LRC),

Research, Development and

Engineering Center (RDEC), Software

Engineering Center (SEC), and Safety

office. The CECOM Logistic
124 DOD SECTION 3

Readiness Center (LRC) is the level II

manager of the Meteorological

Measuring Set (MMS) program.

CECOM RDEC's Intelligence and

Information Warfare Directorate provides technical management and support to the Program Manager,

Intelligence and Effects and Program

Manager, Night Vision/Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Target

Acquisition for the IMETS and the

MMS-Profiler. A brief description of

each of these programs shows

CECOM's involvement. 

Meteorological Measuring Set

(MMS), AN/TMQ-41. The MMS is an

upper air meteorological data collection, processing and dissemination system that provides data to the field

artillery and target acquisition users.

The system is a non-developmental

item (NDI). All active Army units are

equipped with the MMS. In FY 1999,

MMS production and fielding started

and will continue through FY 2003 to

modernize the National Guard.

The Meteorological Measuring SetProfiler (MMS-P) AN/TMQ-52

System. The Meteorological

Measurement Set-Profiler (MMS-P) is

a major improvement over the MMS.

The AN/TMQ-52 design will support

the new generation of artillery

weapons. The system will include frequent and update meteorological messages that enhances the meteorological

validity over a larger battle space than

the current equipment. The MMS-P

uses the MM5 mesoscale meteorological model to assimilate data from a

variety of sources to provide the best

meteorological messages to the user in

a timely fashion. The system receives

data from ground-based sources,

radiosondes, and satellite-based

sources, (such as boundary data from

communications satellites and, in a

future program block improvement,

polar orbiting meteorological satellites) through onboard satellite receiving capability. The data affects the

operation of the mesoscale meteorological model and for post-processing

of the data in order to generate meteorological messages. Finally, an operator interface, in conjunction with the

message generation and formatting

software, facilitates communication

between the MMS-P and all other systems that require interoperability with

the MMS-P. Currently in development

are four System Design and

Development (SDD) models.

Development and testing is on schedule for FY 2002 and FY 2003 along

with a scheduled production decision

for FY 2003 (low rate production).

The Integrated Meteorological

System, Vehicle Mounted

Configuration (AN/TMQ-40B/C) &

Light Configuration (AN/GMQ-36).

The IMETS is the weather component

of the Intelligence Electronic Warfare

(IEW) sub-element of the Army Battle

Command System (ABCS) and is the

prime candidate to meet Distributed

Common Ground Station (DCGS) and

Future Combat System (FCS) weather

requirements. The IMETS provides

commanders at all echelons with an

automated tactical weather system that

receives, processes, and disseminates

weather observations, forecasts, battlefield visualization, and weather effects

decision aids to all Army Tactical

Command and Control System

(ATCCS) Battlefield Functional Areas

(BFAs). IMETS receives weather

information from polar-orbiting civilian and defense meteorological satellites; civilian forecast centers, the Air

Force Weather Agency, artillery meteorological sections and remote sensors.

IMETS processes and collates forecasts, observations, and climatological

data to produce timely and accurate

weather products tailored to the specific warfighter's needs. Significant

weather and environmental support to

warfighters are the weather applications such as the automated tactical

decision aids and contours client.

These graphics display the impact of

the weather on current or planned

operations for both friendly and enemy

forces. They can be displayed over the

Common Operational Picture /

Common Tactical Picture (COP/CTP),

Figure 3-DOD-23. IMETS Mounted Configuration. U.S. Army Photo.
SECTION 3 DOD 125

accessed by using a browser, and executed on the users terminal through

weather client implementations. The

warfighter can effectively employ

forces and weapons systems to achieve

success in battle.

FY 2004 efforts will focus on three

main areas. The Army will refurbish

and field 8 AN/TMQ-40B vehicle

mounted configurations from the AC

to the RC and re-field 8 AN/TMQ40D's back to the AC. The IMETS

Light (Objective) and the IMETS

Command Post configuration will

undergo a full Developmental and

Operational test in 4QFY 2004. The

Milestone C decision review to field

these systems is scheduled for

September 2004 with the first fieldings

of both configurations starting in

1QFY 2005.

Army Test and Evaluation Command

(ATEC)

The Developmental Test Command,

a subordinate command of United

States Army Test and Evaluation

Command (ATEC), is responsible for

providing operational meteorological

support to eight Army ranges and test

sites. Under responsibilities established in AR 115-10/ AFJI 15-157, the

DTC meteorological units provide

meteorological data collection and

analysis, consultation, and weather

forecast and warning services to support Army and other DOD RDT&E

activities at the eight Army installations. Funding for the Army RDT&E

Meteorology Program under Program

Element 665702 has stabilized after

several years of decline and is sufficient to maintain the basic meteorological support infrastructure at Army

RDT&E ranges and sites. However,

instrumentation needed to support

unique or test-specific requirements

generally must be funded by test sponsors.

The Army RDT&E Meteorology

Program has entered into a multi-year

working relationship with the National

Center for Atmospheric Research

(NCAR) to enhance "range scale"

(mesoscale to microscale) forecast and

analysis technology. The principal

product of this relationship is the

Four-Dimensional Weather (4DWX)

System, which consists of a central

data archival/retrieval system for all

range and external meteorological and

model data, a high-resolution

mesoscale meteorological model, and

a variety of user-configurable displays. The MM5 mesoscale model is

used operationally in both predictive

and analysis modes to provide detailed

information about the past, current,

and forecast structure of the atmosphere over the Army's test ranges.

Recent 4DWX enhancements include

the implementation of MM5-based

real-time four-dimensional data assimilation (RT-FDDA) capabilities at the

major Army test ranges and development of a prototype globally-relocatable mesoscale modeling capability to

support Army RDT&E (including

DTC Virtual Proving Ground modeling and simulation) at locations other

than the Army ranges. Output from

mesoscale model forecasts and analyses is used as meteorological input to

atmospheric dispersion, noise propagation, ballistic trajectory, and other

range applications models to simulate

many tests and their associated

impacts. The 4DWX system contributes to improved test planning and

conduct, selection of more representative locations for test sensors, inclusion of realistic atmospheric effects in

virtual testing, and forensic analyses

of meteorological effects on test

results.

The Chief of the Meteorology

Division at Dugway Proving Ground's

West Desert Test Center serves as the

Program Manager for Meteorological

Support to Army RDT&E. Under

Program Element 0605384, the

Division's Modeling and Assessment

Branch also provides the following

specialized services: (1) technical

assistance to the DTC operational

meteorological teams/branches;

(2) atmospheric model verification

and validation, including algorithm

evaluation and the generation of validation data sets; (3) chemical/biological (CB) threat analysis studies for the

Joint Contact Point (Project DO49);

and (4) technical assistance to the

DoD CB defense modeling community in the development of new CB hazard assessment models. Division

employees also serve on various

national and international committees

addressing issues related to meteorological measurements, atmospheric

dispersion modeling, and chemical/

biological hazard assessment.

Figure 3-DOD-24. IMETS Light Configuration. U.S. Army Photo
126 DOD SECTION 3

Army Medical Research and Materiel

Command

The U.S. Army Research Institute of

Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)

conducts basic and applied research on

the effects of heat, cold, high terrestrial altitude and nutritional status on the

health and performance of individual

soldiers and combat crews operating

Army systems.

Applied research in thermal physiology and biophysical modeling is

directed towards improving soldier

performance and minimizing health

risks in climatic extremes. The sensitivity of the soldier to local weather

parameters (primarily ambient temperature, dew point, wind speed, and solar

radiation) defines an operational envelope for unimpaired human performance. The overall goals of USARIEM

weather-related research programs are

to develop methods to effectively monitor and, where possible, extend the

operational envelope for both training

and operational scenarios.

Weather-related research efforts

include:

 the development and validation of

automated methods to integrate

thermal strain prediction models

with real-time weather information

resources relevant to dismounted

infantry operations. Temporal and

spatial scales of interest are meters

to kilometers and minutes to several days. USARIEM is working

with the Army Research

Laboratory Battlefield

Environment Division to implement thermal models on Personal

Digital Assistant (PDA) devices

and the Integrated Meteorological

System (IMETS).

 the environmental Heat Stress

Monitor (HSM), a pocket-sized

electronic device, combines the

USARIEM heat strain prediction

model with a miniaturized sensor

suite to measure air temperature,

humidity, wind speed, solar radiation, and barometric pressure. This

device provides tailored local guidance on optimal work/rest cycle

limits, safe work time, and hourly

drinking water needs for a wide

range of military clothing types and

work categories. 

 investigating methodologies needed to integrate real-time local environmental data and warfighter

physiological data with predictive

model processes. The effective

fusion of these two real-time data

streams will enable near term environmental strain and performance

status predictions for individual

warfighters. Research efforts in

this area are intended to address

capabilities identified in the

Operational Requirements

Document (ORD) for the Army's

Land Warrior program.

 the availability of ground level

environmental data at high temporal and spatial resolution continues

to pose a significant challenge for

predictive model development and

validation. A Phase II Small

Business Innovative Research

(SBIR) project to design and build

a very small wireless networkcapable, expendable, micro-environmental sensing system is underway, and the feasibility of support

Army RDT&E (including DTC

Virtual Proving Ground modeling

and simulation) at locations other

than the Army ranges. Output from

mesoscale model forecasts and

analyses is used as meteorological

input to atmospheric dispersion,

noise propagation, ballistic trajectory, and other range applications

models to simulate many tests and

their associated impacts. The

4DWX system contributes to

improved test planning and conduct, selection of more representative locations for test sensors,

inclusion of realistic atmospheric

effects in virtual testing, and forensic analyses of meteorological

effects on test results.

The Chief of the Meteorology

Division at Dugway Proving Ground's

West Desert Test Center serves as the

Program Manager for Meteorological

Support to Army RDT&E. Under

Program Element 0605384, the

Division's Modeling and Assessment

Branch also provides the following

specialized services: (1) technical

assistance to the DTC operational

meteorological teams/branches;

(2) atmospheric model verification and

validation, including algorithm evaluation and the generation of validation

data sets; (3) chemical/biological (CB)

threat analysis studies for the Joint

Contact Point (Project DO49); and

(4) technical assistance to the DoD CB

defense modeling community in the

development of new CB hazard assessment models. Division employees

also serve on various national and

international committees addressing

issues related to meteorological measurements, atmospheric dispersion

modeling, and chemical/biological

hazard assessment.

Army Medical Research and Materiel

Command

The U.S. Army Research Institute of

Environmental Medicine (USARIEM)

conducts basic and applied research on

the effects of heat, cold, high terrestrial altitude and nutritional status on the

health and performance of individual

soldiers and combat crews operating

Army systems.

Applied research in thermal physiology and biophysical modeling is

directed towards improving soldier

performance and minimizing health

risks in climatic extremes. The sensitivity of the soldier to local weather

parameters (primarily ambient temperature, dew point, wind speed, and solar

radiation) defines an operational envelope for unimpaired human performance. The overall goals of USARIEM

weather-related research programs are

to develop methods to effectively monitor and, where possible, extend the

operational envelope for both training

and operational scenarios.

Weather-related research efforts

include the development and valida-
SECTION 3 DOD 127

tion of automated methods to integrate

thermal strain prediction models with

real-time weather information

resources relevant to dismounted

infantry operations. Temporal and spatial scales of interest are meters to kilometers and minutes to several days.

USARIEM is working with the Army

Research Laboratory Battlefield

Environment Division to implement

thermal models on Personal Digital

Assistant (PDA) devices and the

Integrated Meteorological System

(IMETS). 

The environmental Heat Stress

Monitor (HSM), a pocket-sized electronic device, combines the

USARIEM heat strain prediction

model with a miniaturized sensor suite

to measure air temperature, humidity,

wind speed, solar radiation, and barometric pressure. This device provides

tailored local guidance on optimal

work/rest cycle limits, safe work time,

and hourly drinking water needs for a

wide range of military clothing types

and work categories.

As part of the warfighter physiological status-monitoring (WPSM) program, USARIEM is investigating

methodologies needed to integrate

real-time local environmental data and

warfighter physiological data with predictive model processes. The effective

fusion of these two real-time data

streams will enable near term environmental strain and performance status

predictions for individual warfighters.

Research efforts in this area are intended to address capabilities identified in

the Operational Requirements

Document (ORD) for the Army's Land

Warrior program.

The availability of ground level

environmental data at high temporal

and spatial resolution continues to

pose a significant challenge for predictive model development and validation. A Phase II Small Business

Innovative Research (SBIR) project

to design and build a very small

wireless network-capable, expendable, micro-environmental sensing

system is underway, and the feasibility of on-body environmental sensors is also being investigated.
AVIATION WEATHER MANAGEMENT

The Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA) has the leadership role for the

national aviation weather program. As

the leader, FAA must conduct continual coordination for identifying needs

for aviation weather

products and services

among the Air Traffic

Control organization,

the aviation industry

components and among

service providers. The

coordination process

leads to opportunities to

leverage efforts and

resources to form partnerships in finding

solutions in response to

the needs. The

National Aviation

Weather Program

Strategic Plan and the

National Aviation

Weather Initiatives are

two documents that formalize the coordination and partnerships. These documents comprise the first two tiers in a

four tier system where funding and

development of the solution are the

third and fourth tiers, respectively.

The FAA focus for Aviation Weather

has been to promote safety first, then

improve the National Airspace System

(NAS) efficiency to promote reductions in the delays and re-routing due

to weather. The Administrator has

launched The Safer Skies, A Focused

Safety Agenda which includes a government/industry Commercial Aviation

Safety Team (CAST) and Joint Safety

Analysis Teams (JSAT) to evaluate

accident investigation reports to analyze the series of events leading to the

accidents, and get a sense of what and

how decisions were made in the course

of the flight. Other teams, Joint Safety

Implementation Teams (JSIT), using

the findings of the JSAT, develop and

recommend intervention actions to

eliminate or reduce the causes or

improve the actions in

the decision making

process. Training

about the decision

making process has

been identified by

these teams as a major

part of the solution.

Aviation weather

information, which is

complex and highly

perishable, is most useful when customers can

successfully plan, act,

and respond in ways

that avoid accidents

and delays. FAA will

improve the ability of

the aviation community

to use weather information through a

review and upgrade of airmen training

and certification programs. FAA will

also develop multi-media training tools

to support aviation safety and training

initiatives. Funding has been requested

to further this effort.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION WEATHER PROGRAMS

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the responsibility to provide national and international leadership in the optimization of aviation weather systems and services. This leadership is manifested through the management of a safe and efficient National Airspace System (NAS) and the encouragement of consensus and cooperation between government agencies, private weather services,

research organizations, and user groups involved in aviation weather. The Federal Highway

Administration (FHWA) manages programs that provide federal financial and technical assistance to

the states, promotes safe commercial motor vehicle operations, and provides access to and within national forests and

parks, native American reservations, and other public lands. Safety, efficiency, and mobility in these programs requires

the incorporation and use of timely weather and road condition information. The Federal Railroad Administration is

promotes and regulates railroad safety. It also sponsors research to enhance railroad safety and efficiency, including

support for improved collection, dissemination, and application of weather information to reduce hazards to train operations and to railroad employees. The Federal Transit Administration mission is to ensure personal mobility and

America's economic and community vitality by supporting high quality public transportation through leadership, technical assistance and financial resources.

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

SECTION 3 DOT 129
130 DOT SECTION 3

Weather has been made a standard

consideration in all aspects of the operation and architecture of the NAS.

Aviation weather needs from the field,

federal agencies, and industry are

entered into the FAA Acquisition

Management System (AMS) through

which all new programs and changes

to the NAS are processed, evaluated,

validated, engineered to a requirement,

and acquired. The Air Traffic System

Requirements Service (ARS) has the

responsibility to guide all initiatives

through the AMS process and organization, including the Integrated

Requirements Team, the Integrated

Product Team, and the Decision

Boards; to assure the development

continues to meet the original need;

and to guide the activity should the

need be evolving. ARS has added

improvements to the AMS process

whereby non-system or non-hardware

(e.g., service improvement or rule

changes) solutions will receive the

same rigorous evaluation and validation. FAA has established an Aviation

Weather Technology Transfer (AWTT)

Board which addresses the key issues

involved in bringing new capabilities

into the operational system. The

AWTT Board has developed a disciplined process for transferring research

results into operational practice. The

Board has developed standards for

operational products and is leading the

effort to encourage the early development of a Concept of Operations for

each weather product. Additionally, at

key decision points, the board evaluates the maturity of the capability, its

integration into the existing system, its

supportability in the field, and the

training program to prepare the users.

The successful execution of a national aviation weather program is first

dependent upon an explicit and mutually understood definition and acceptance of roles and responsibilities both

within and outside of the FAA. The

execution of these roles and responsibilities has been enhanced by the chartering and complete staffing of the

ARS, clarifying FAA lines of business,

and completing intra-agency and interagency plans.

FAA relies on other federal agencies

for weather services and support, especially NOAA's National Weather

Service (NWS) and its Aviation

Weather Center. Requirements validated by FAA for domestic and

International Civil Aviation

Organization (ICAO) users are coordinated annually and supported through

the agencies and contractual arrangements. All agencies' efforts in the area

of aviation weather services is coordinated for use by all as appropriate.

Aviation weather technology includes

the ways in which aviation weather

information is gathered, assimilated,

analyzed, forecast, disseminated, and

displayed. The development of this

technology also demands that consideration be given to human factors and

the application of decision-making

tools. FAA will support the use of

technology to improve aviation weather information through integration of

federal and non-federal resources.

Automation, improved product and

graphics generation, and dissemination

to the cockpit offer early opportunities.

AVIATION WEATHER ACQUISITION

AND SERVICES

One of the primary functions of the

FAA ARS organization is the development and management of requirements

for the FAA Capital Investment Plan.

Recent projects in the AMS have

focused on weather detection and display systems for pilots and air traffic

controllers to ensure that aircraft avoid

hazardous weather. The following

paragraphs describe many of those

projects.

The Integrated Terminal Weather

System (ITWS) integrates weather

data from sensors in the terminal area

to provide and display compatible,

consistent, real-time products that

require no additional interpretation by

controllers or pilots--the primary users.

ITWS uses data from automated surFigure 3-DOT-1. The ITWS integrates data from FAA and NWS sensors and

systems to provide a suite of weather informational products.
SECTION 3 DOT 131

face observing systems, Doppler

weather radars, and low-level windshear alert systems, together with

NWS data and products, to predict aviation impact parameters, such as convection, visibility, icing, and wind

shear, including down bursts. ITWS

has been installed at 7 locations with

future installations planned at 27 additional locations by 2009. The 34

ITWSs will cover 46 airports.

(Figure 3-DOT-1).

The Corridor Integrated Weather

System (CIWS). The CIWS is a

demonstration program which will

take some of the capabilities of the

integration software of the ITWS and

expand it to cover larger areas beyond

the terminals. Corridor' in the name

implies the area covered will be an

elongated zone which may include a

number of terminal areas. The demonstration area extends from Boston

southward over New York as far as

Washington and westward over

Pittsburgh and Cleveland connecting

to Chicago. The CIWS is expected to

integrate information from the WSR88D and ASR-9 radars and other

observing sensors in the corridor to

produce weather information products

on current conditions affecting en

route traffic in the corridor. It will produce two hour forecasts with trend

information and a high-resolution echo

tops product. There will be twelve

sites (six in the ARTCCs) plus one at

the Command Center.

The Terminal Doppler Weather

Radar (TDWR) program consists of

the procurement and installation of a

new terminal weather radar based on

Doppler techniques. TDWR units

have been located to optimize the

detection of microbursts and wind

shear at selected high operations and

weather activity airports. In addition,

TDWR has the capability to identify

areas of precipitation and the locations

of thunderstorms (Figure 3-DOT-2).

Microbursts are weather phenomenon that consist of an intense down

draft with strong surface outflows.

They are particularly dangerous to aircraft that are landing or departing.

TDWR scanning strategy is optimized

for microburst/wind shear detection.

The radars are located near the airport

operating areas in a way to best scan

the runways as well as the approach

and departure corridors. The displays

are located in the tower cab and

Terminal Radar Approach Control

(TRACON). The FAA has 45 commissioned TDWR systems covering

46 airports.

Low Level Wind Shear Alert System

(LLWAS) provides pilots and air traffic controllers with information on

hazardous wind shear that create

unsafe conditions for aircraft landings

and departures (Figure 3-DOT-3).

The LLWAS improvement phase,

referred to as LLWAS-Relocation/

Sustainment (LLWAS-RS), includes

expanding the network of sensors,

developing improved algorithms for

the expanded network, and installing

new information/alert displays. The

new information/alert displays will

enable controllers to provide pilots

with head wind gain or loss estimates

Figure 3-DOT-2. FAA Terminal Doppler Weather Radars provide supplementary wind and precipitation conditions for airport approach and departure. 
132 DOT SECTION 3

for specific runways. These improvements will increase the system's wind

shear detection capability and reduce

false alarms. Improvements are also

expected to reduce maintenance costs.

Currently, LLWAS-RS are commissioned at 39 locations. There are also

9 LLWAS-Network Expansion

(LLWAS-NE) systems commissoned

at major airports.

The Weather Systems Processor

(WSP) program provides an additional

radar channel for processing weather

returns and de-alias returns from the

other weather channel in the ASR-9.

The displays of convective weather,

microbursts, and other wind shear

events will provide information for

controllers and pilots to help aircraft

avoid those hazards. All 34 WSPs will

be commissioned by the end of

FY 2004. A similar WSP capability

will be part of the ASR-11 radar now

under development.

The Terminal Weather Information

for Pilots (TWIP) program provides

text message descriptions and character graphic depiction of potentially

hazardous weather conditions in the

terminal area of airports with installed

TDWR systems. TWIP provides pilots

with information on regions of moderate to heavy precipitation, gust fronts,

and microburst conditions. The TWIP

capability is incorporated in the

TDWR software application. Text

messages or character graphic depiction are received in the cockpit through

the ARINC Communication Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS)

data link system. The TWIP capability

is operational at all 45 TDWR sites.

The Flight Information System Data

Link (FISDL) became operational in

January 2002, through a GovernmentIndustry Project Perfor-mance

Agreement (G-IPPA). Through the

government-industry agreement, the

FAA provides access to four VHF

channels (136.425-136.500) in the

aeronautical spectrum while industry

provides the ground infrastructure for

data link broadcasts of text and graphic FISDL products at no cost to the

FAA. Under the agreements, a basic

set of text products are provided at no

fee to the pilot users while industry

may charge subscription fees for other

value-added graphic products.

The FAA FISDL program will continue development of necessary standards and guidelines supporting interoperability and operational use.

SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVING

PROGRAM

Aviation Weather Observations. The

FAA has taken responsibility for aviation weather observations at many airports across the country. To provide

the appropriate observational service,

FAA is using automated systems,

human observers, or a mix of the two.

It has been necessary to place airports

into four categories according to the

number of operations per year, any

special designation for the airport, and

the frequency at which the airport is

impacted by weather.

 Level D service is provided by a

stand-alone Automated Surface

Observing System (ASOS). Level D

service is available at about 400 airports.

 Level C service includes the ASOS

plus augmentation by tower personnel. Tower personnel will add to the

report observations of thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, tower visibility, volcanic ash, and virga when the

tower is in operation. Level C service is operational at about 303 airports.

 Level B service includes all of the

weather parameters in Level C service plus Runway Visual Range

(RVR) and the following parameters

when observed--freezing drizzle versus freezing rain, ice pellets, snow

depth, snow increasing rapidly

remarks, thunderstorm/lightning

location remarks, and remarks for

observed significant weather not at

the station. Level B service is operational at about 57 airports.

 Level A service includes all of the

weather parameters in Level B service plus 10-minute averaged RVR for

long-line transmission or additional

visibility increments of 1/8, 1/16, and

0 miles. Level A service is operational at about 78 airports.

Automated surface aviation weather

observing systems provide aviationcritical weather data (e.g., wind velocity, temperature, dew point, altimeter Figure 3-DOT-3. LLWAS equipment on an airfield.
SECTION 3 DOT 133

setting, cloud height, visibility, and

precipitation--type, occurrence, and

accumulation) through the use of automated sensors. These systems process

data and allow dissemination of output

information to a variety of users,

including pilots via computer-generated voice.

Automated Weather Observing

System (AWOS) are deployed at over

200 airports to provide the basic aviation weather observation information

directly to pilots approaching the airport. The majority of these systems are

installed at various non-towered airports to enhance aviation safety and

the efficiency of flight operations by

providing real-time weather data at airports that previously did not have local

weather reporting capability. These

systems are built to the standards of

quality necessary to ensure the safety

of flight operations and are available

off-the-shelf as a commercial product.

Automated Surface Observing

System (ASOS). In a joint program

with NOAA NWS, the FAA procured,

installed, and operates ASOS at the

remaining airports where the FAA provides observations and at additional

non-towered airports without weather

reporting capabilities in accord with

the levels of service listed above.

Production is complete and the FAA

has 569 systems installed and commissioned.

Aviation Weather Sensor System

(AWSS), a new program, will have

capabilities similar to ASOS. However, the AWSS is a direct acquisition

of the FAA and not from the joint program. AWSS is currently being fielded.

The AWOS/ASOS Data Acquisition

System (ADAS) functions primarily as

a message concentrator and will collect

weather messages from AWOS and

ASOS equipment located at controlled

and non-controlled airports within

each air route traffic control center's

(ARTCC) area of responsibility.

ADAS will distribute minute-byminute AWOS/ASOS data to the

Weather and Radar Processor (WARP)

within the air route traffic control center in which it is installed. ADAS will

also distribute AWOS data to the

NADIN which will in-turn forward the

data to Weather Message Switching

Center Replacement (WMSCR) for

further distribution. All 22 ADASs are

commissioned.

The Automated Lightning Detection

and Reporting System (ALDARS) is a

system adjunct to the ADAS.

ALDARS collects lightning stroke

information from the National

Lightning Detection Network (NLDN)

and disseminates this data to

AWOS/ASOS for the reporting of

thunderstorms in METAR or SPECI

observations, when appropriate. The

use of ALDARS eliminates the need

for manual reporting of thunderstorms

and increases the number of airports

where thunderstorms will be reported.

ALDARS is completely operational.

Stand Alone Weather Sensors

(SAWS) are planned to be back-up for

some AWOS/ASOS sensors at locations where no other back-up capability is available. SAWS is planned at

303 locations throughout the U.S.,

with installation complete by the end

of 2009. Currently, SAWS are commissioned at 32 locations.

AWOS for Non-Federal

Applications. Under the Airport

Improvement Program (AIP), state and

other local jurisdictions may justify to

the FAA their need to enhance their airport facilities. Upon approval, these

improvements may be partially funded

by the FAA using resources from the

Airway Trust Fund. The local airport

authority becomes responsible for the

remainder of the funding necessary to

complete the procurement as well as

the funding for the regular maintenance. The addition of an AWOS is

one of the improvements that qualify

for AIP funding assistance. Systems

that qualify must meet certain standards which are defined in an FAA

Advisory Circular on Non-Federal

Automated Weather Observing

Systems.

There are more than 275 non-Federal

AWOS locations. Some of these are

capable of reporting through a geostationary communications satellite;

many more will acquire that capability

during the year. These observations

will be entered into the national network for use in support of the NAS and

the national weather network.

The Next Generation Runway Visual

Range (NRVR) program provides for a

new generation RVR sub-element of

the NAS. The NRVR provides runway

visual range information to controllers

and users in support of precision landing and take-off operations. The

NRVR incorporates state-of-the-art

sensor technology and embedded

remote maintenance monitoring. FAA

plans to procure and install these

NRVR systems at all new qualifying

locations. FAA plans also call for the

replacement of many existing RVRs in

the NAS inventory.

The NRVR provides for near realtime measurement of visibility conditions along a runway (up to three

points along the runway can be measured-- touchdown, midpoint, and rollout) and reports these visibility conditions to air traffic controllers and other

users. The system automatically collects and formats data from three sensors: a visibility sensor--forward scatter meters will replace the transmissometers currently in use, a runway

light intensity monitor for both runway

edges and center-line lights, and an

ambient light sensor which controls

computer calculations using a day or

night algorithm. The data processing

unit calculates runway visibility products and distributes the products to

controllers and other users.

NRVR visibility sensors will be

deployed at 308 airports. Delivery of

the NRVR sensors began in November

1998. To date, 208 have been delivered and 172 have been commissioned.
134 DOT SECTION 3

At the current levels of annual funding,

the program will have completed the

deployment by the end of CY 2009.

The FAA is procuring the

Operational and Supportability

Implementation System (OASIS) to

improve weather products, flight information, aeronautical data collection,

analysis, and timeliness of dissemination and, thereby, enhance the safety

and efficiency of the NAS. OASIS

will replace the Model-1 Full Capacity

Flight Service Automation System,

which includes the Aviation Weather

Processor. OASIS will also integrate

the Interim Graphic Weather Display

System functions and include several

automated flight service data handling

capabilities. This configuration will be

its initial deployment capability.

Future enhancements leading to the

full capability deployment will

include: interactive alphanumeric and

graphic weather briefings, Direct User

Access Terminal System (DUATS)

functionality, automated special use

airspace, and training support. OASIS

will support flight planning, weather

briefings, NOTAM service, search and

rescue, and pilot access terminal services. 26 systems will be installed by

the end of 2004.

The Next Generation Weather Radar

(NEXRAD), known operationally as

the Weather Surveillance Radar-1988

Doppler (WSR-88D), is a multiagency program that defined, developed, and implemented the new weather radar. Field implementation began

in 1990 and was completed in 1996.

There are a total of 161 WSR-88D systems deployed. The FAA sponsored

12 systems in Alaska, Hawaii, and the

Caribbean. DOC and DOD

WSR88Ds provide coverage over the

continental United States.

The FAA emphasized the development of WSR-88D algorithms that take

advantage of the improved detection of

precipitation, wind velocity, and hazardous storms. The FAA also stressed

that these algorithms provide new or

improved aviation-oriented products.

These improvements in detection of

hazardous weather will reduce flight

delays and improve flight planning

services through aviation weather

products related to wind, wind shear,

thunderstorm detection, storm movement prediction, precipitation, hail,

frontal activity, and mesocyclones and

tornadoes. WSR-88D data provided to

ATC through the Weather and Radar

Processor (WARP) will increase aviation safety and fuel efficiency.

In addition, the three funding agencies support the field sites through the

WSR-88D Radar Operations Center

(ROC) at Norman, Oklahoma. The

ROC provides software maintenance,

operational troubleshooting, configuration control, and training. Planned

product improvements include a shift

to an open architecture, new antenna

design, dual polarization, and the

development of more algorithms associated with specific weather events,

such as hurricanes.

The Air Route Surveillance Radar

(ARSR-4) provides the ARTCCs with

accurate multiple weather levels out to

200 nautical miles. The ARSR-4 is the

first en route radar with the ability to

accurately report targets in weather.

The ARSR-4 can provide weather

information to supplement other

sources. The ARSR-4 is a joint

FAA/USAF funded project. Forty

joint radar sites were installed during

the 1992-1995 period.

The Weather and Radar Processor

(WARP) has been installed at all the

Air Route Traffic Control Centers

(ARTCCs) and the Air Traffic Control

System Command Centers (ATCSCC).

WARP automatically creates unique

regional, WSR-88D-based, mosaic

products, and sends these products,

along with other time-critical weather

information, to controllers through the

Display System Replacement. WARP

will greatly enhance the dissemination

of aviation weather information

throughout the NAS.

The Direct User Access Terminal

System (DUATS) has been operational

since February 1990. Through

DUATS, pilots are able to access

weather and NOTAMs and also file

their IFR and/or VFR flight plans from

their home or office personal computer. This system is being included in

OASIS.

AVIATION WEATHER

COMMUNICATIONS

It should be noted that FAA communications systems are multi-purpose.

Weather data, products, and information constitute a large percentage of the

traffic, as do NOTAMS, flight plans,

and other aeronautical data.

The National Airspace Data

Interchange Network (NADIN II)

packet-switched network was implemented to serve as the primary interfacility data communications resource

for a large community of NAS computer subsystems. The network design

incorporates packet-switching technology into a highly connected backbone

network which provides extremely

high data flow capacity and efficiency

to the network users. NADIN II consists of operational switching nodes at

two network control centers (and

nodes) at the National Aviation

Weather Processing Facilities at Salt

Lake City, Utah, and Atlanta, Georgia.

It will interface directly to Weather

Message Switching Center Replacement (WMSCR), WARP, ADAS,

TMS, and the Consolidated NOTAM

System. NADIN II also may be used

as the intra-facility communications

system between these (collocated)

users during transition to end state.

The Weather Message Switching

Center Replacement (WMSCR)

replaced the Weather Message

Switching Center (WMSC) located at

FAA's National Communications

Center (NATCOM), Kansas City,

Missouri, with state-of-the-art technology. WMSCR performs all current

alphanumeric weather data handling
SECTION 3 DOT 135

functions of the WMSC and the storage and distribution of NOTAMs.

WMSCR will rely on NADIN for a

majority of its communications support. The system will accommodate

graphic data and function as the primary FAA gateway to the NWS'

National Centers for Environmental

Prediction (NCEP)--the principal

source of NWS products for the NAS.

To provide for geographic redundancy, the system has nodes in the NADIN

buildings in Atlanta, Georgia, and Salt

Lake City, Utah. Each node supports

approximately one-half of the United

States and will continuously exchange

information with the other to ensure

that both nodes have identical national

databases. In the event of a nodal failure, the surviving one will assume

responsibility for dissemination to the

entire network.

Currently, specifications for an

upgrade or replacement for the

WMSCR are being formulated. The

needs, when developed, will be entered

into the AMS process for validation

and acceptance into the NAS architecture.

The Worldwide Aeronautical

Forecast System (WAFS) is a three

geosynchronous satellite-based system

for collecting and disseminating aviation weather information and products

to/from domestic or international aviation offices as well as in-flight aircraft.

The information and products are prepared at designated offices in

Washington, District of Columbia, and

Bracknell, United Kingdom. The

United States portion of WAFS is a

joint project of the FAA and NWS to

meet requirements of the ICAO member states. FAA funds the satellite

communications link and the NWS

provides the information/product

stream.

Two of the three satellites are funded

by the United States. The first is located over the western Atlantic with a

footprint covering western Africa and

Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, South

America, and North America (except

for the West Coast and Alaska). The

second United States-funded satellite

is positioned over the Pacific and covers the United States West Coast and

Alaska, the Pacific Ocean, and the

Pacific rim of Asia. The third satellite,

operated by the United Kingdom, is

stationed over the western Indian

Ocean and covers the remaining areas

of Europe, Asia, and Africa. The data

available via WAFS include flight

winds, observations, forecasts,

SIGMETs, AIRMETs, and hazards to

aviation including volcanic ash clouds.

AVIATION WEATHER RESEARCH

PROGRAM

The FAA sponsors research on specific aviation weather phenomena

which are hazardous and/or limiting to

aircraft operations. This research is

performed through product development teams in collaboration with other

organizations including the National

Science Foundation (NSF), NOAA,

NASA, and the Massachusetts Institute

of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory. A

primary concern is the effective management of limited research, engineering, and development resources and

their direct application to known deficiencies and technical enhancements.

Aircraft Icing Forecasts. The purpose of this initiative is to establish a

comprehensive multi-year research

and development effort to improve aircraft icing forecasts as described in the

FAA Aircraft Icing Plan. The objectives of this plan are to develop: (1) an

icing severity index, (2) icing guidance

models, and (3) a better comprehension of synoptic and mesoscale conditions leading to in-flight icing. The

result of this effort will be an improved

icing forecasting capability that provides pilots with more timely and

accurate forecasts of actual and expected icing areas by location, altitude,

duration, and potential severity.

Convective Weather Forecasting.

The purpose of this research effort is to

establish more comprehensive knowledge of the conditions that trigger convection and thunderstorms and, in general, the dynamics of a thunderstorm's

life cycle. The program will lead to

enhanced capability to predict growth,

areal extent, movement, and type of

precipitation from thunderstorms.

Gaining this forecast capability will

allow better use of the airspace and

help aircraft avoid areas with hazardous convective conditions

(Figure 3-DOT-4).

Model Development and

Enhancement. This research is aimed

at developing or improving models to

better characterize the state of the

atmosphere and stratosphere in general, with specific emphasis on the flight

operation environment specifically,

with the aim to provide superior aviation weather products to end users.

Aviation Forecasts. The aviation

forecasts initiative provides weather

information to pilots that is useful and

is easy to understand. Its objectives

are to build a weather database for

avaition decision makers, to develop

tools to display and assess weather

impact information, and to build systems to get weather information to

users.

Winter Weather. A product of this

research was the Weather Support to

Deicing Decision Making (WSDDM)

system. This system develops products that provide forecasts on the intensity of snow and freezing rain, and how

or when these phenomena will change

in the short term. This information is

needed by airport management to

determine when an aircraft will require

deicing before take-off. The output

product is designed for non-meteorological aviation users and has been

demonstrated at three different airports. This system was tested at airports in the New York City area and

has been operationally implemented by

a private vendor.

Ceiling and Visibility. Research in

this area developed a stratus forecast
136 DOT SECTION 3

system for the San Fransisco Bay area

that gives the forecaster a decision aid

providing advance notice of stratus

burn-off time. Research will be

expanding to airports in the Northeast

U.S. that have problems with instrument conditions during winter storms.

Theres also work underway on the

national scale to improve safety for

enroute general aviation operations.

Turbulence. In addition to the work

being performed by the JSAT under the

Safer Skies Program, theres a seven

year plan to evaluate wind shear and turbulence around and on the approaches to

Juneau, Alaska. Also, theres work in

coordination with certain airlines, to

install instruments on aircraft with the

capability to measure turbulence as

sensed on the aircraft and report this

information automatically. The data will

be used to verify forecasts and to develop a standard index to report and warn

for turbulence. The research has also

developed automated software to forecast upper level clear-air turbulence.

NEXRAD Enhancements. Work is

continuing to develop improvements to

the existing products and to develop

some new graphics. Hardware and

software pre-planned product

improvements are are being pursued.

These efforts are joint among DOT,

DOD, and DOC.

Space Weather. Space Weather is of

concern to the FAA in several areas of

operations and regulations.

Ionospheric scintillation creates certain

errors in the Global Positioning

System that affects navigation, especially for instrument approaches to airports. In programs for Wide Area and

Local Area Augmentation Systems

(WAAS and LAAS) corrections for

these effects are being developed. This

will be a very important advance to

promote the Free Flight management

of the National Airspace System. In

addition, the effects on the ionosphere

have grave impacts on the use of high

frequency communications which are

essential in air traffic control of flights

across the oceans and over the poles of

the Earth.

FAA is embarking in research at the

Civil Aeromedical Institute in

Oklahoma City on the radiation effects

on fetuses of newly pregnant women

when flying at high altitudes and at

high latitudes where exposure is

increased. The exposure of flight

crews to this hazard will be measured

to determine if repeated flights in this

regime may accumulate deleterious

results.

FAA planners for commercial space

operations are working on the weather

requirements to set criteria for space

launch activities. The commercial

launch sites in California, Florida and

Virginia are co-located with government sites where the weather support is

available. However, at the new commercial space launch site in Kodiak,

Alaska new criteria must be developed

and established for standard procedures.

Figure 3-DOT-4. 4-panel Low Level Significant Weather graphics are produced by the Aviation Weather Center

and accessible to pilots from their web site. (Source: AWC web site)
SECTION 3 DOT 137

FEDERAL PROGRAMS IN

SUPPORT OF ROAD WEATHER

The Road Weather Management Program

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) coordinates a number of

activities aimed at improving safety,

mobility, productivity, environmental

quality and national security on the

nation's highways with respect to

weather threats. These activities

include identification of weather

impacts on the roadway environment,

traffic flow and operational decisions

to build the case for road weather management programs. It also includes

research to advance the state of the art

concerning road weather management

tools, as well as documentation and

promotion of the best practices. The

FHWA acts through federal aid and

national coordination since it does not

operate the highway system or environmental observing systems that

serve state and local highway operators, private road users, and the traveling public. FHWA activities are conducted as partnerships with other public agencies, private sector vendors,

and universities.

Weather cuts across many FHWA

and related surface transportation

modal activities. Coordination is centered in the Road Weather

Management Program within the

FHWA Office of Operations. Road

weather management activities are

closely associated with the Intelligent

Transportation System (ITS) Program

as the framework for advanced road

weather information and decision support. Road weather management

activities are dependent on, but distinct

from, general meteorological activities

in two respects. In terms of the geophysical focus, weather must be related to what happens near, on, and under

roads as it affects pavements, structures, vehicles, traffic flow and ITS

components. In terms of operations,

the focus is on the decisions that use

road weather information as one of

many resources. This has led to a decision-centered approach for defining

the program, with road weather information on one side and effective

actions to deal with road weather on

the other. Program activities are then

organized primarily by the ITS subsystems and operational decisions: maintenance management, traffic management and traveler information, as well

as emergency management. However,

a common information infrastructure,

or "infostructure", within the ITS

includes road weather observation.

Environmental observing systems are

emerging as contributors to the national weather information system that

underlies all general weather products.

The FHWA expects that as road weather products advance, there will be a

need for greater integration of observation, prediction and science in the total

land/air/sea/space environment.

FHWA road weather management

activities extend back to the 1970s, but

the current coordinating program

began in 1997. Over the entire period,

the FHWA has achieved both practical

successes and an expanded vision for

the road weather management agenda.

There is no question that among

modes, surface transportation has the

most lives, time, and commercial

value at risk due to weather threats.

The challenge has been to identify distinct and useful roles with respect to

weather within FHWA jurisdiction.

With the surface transportation reauthorization -the Safe, Accountable,

Flexible, and Efficient Transportation

Equity Act of 2003 (SAFETEA) -

funding for programs such as an integrated "infostructure", a real-time

management information system, and

ITS research is anticipated. This will

enable a more vigorous attack on the

many issues associated with Road

Weather Management Program activities, which are described in the following sections.

The Strategic Highway Research

Program (SHRP)

The United States Congress established the Strategic Highway Research

Program (SHRP) under the 1987

Surface Transportation Act. This Act

obligated $150 million over five years

to improve the performance and durability of our nation's roads. The SHRP

program examined a number of different subject areas, but the one most

closely related to road weather management was winter maintenance

within the highway operations subject

area. The research program was active

until 1993, producing specifications,

testing methods, equipment, and

advanced technologies. Following the

success of the five-year effort, the

FHWA coordinated a national program

to work with state and local highway

agencies to implement and evaluate

the products. This phase, entitled

SHRP Implemen-tation, was funded

through the 1991 Intermodal Surface

Transportation Efficiency Act

(ISTEA). This Act obligated $108

million over six years, and was administered jointly by the FHWA, the

American Association of State

Highway and Transportation Officials

(AASHTO), and the Transportation

Research Board (TRB).

The SHRP products encompassed

various technology areas. Reports on

Anti-icing and Road Weather

Information Systems (RWIS), published by 1993, were instrumental in

raising awareness of the state of the art

among highway operating agencies.

Anti-icing techniques, requiring

chemical application to pavements

before snow fall and ice formation,

have had a vital synergy with predictive road weather information, and

have in turn led to demand for

improved observation and prediction

through RWIS.

FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION
138 DOT SECTION 3

The SHRP Implementation web site

(http://www4.trb.org/trb/dive.nsf/web/

shrp_implementation) contains information on the SHRP Lead States

Program, SHRP products under evaluation and implementation, and SHRP

in general. An important adjunct to the

SHRP anti-icing studies was a followup field evaluation of techniques, conducted under the FHWA Test and

Evaluation Program. Results appeared

in 1998 as Project No. 28: Anti-Icing

Technology.

The Intelligent Transportation Systems

(ITS) Program

The synergy of road treatment strategies and RWIS development continues

in the FHWA Road Weather

Management Program and is strongly

allied with the ITS Program. The

ISTEA of 1991 established the ITS

Program, including its research program that funds most of the FHWA

Road Weather Management Program

activities. The ITS program in the

United States is overseen by the ITS

Joint Program Office (ITS-JPO),

which is a cross-modal program hosted

in the FHWA.

While ITS initially focused on automated highways and metropolitan

areas, a rural focus was initiated in

1996. The rural ITS Program identified maintenance and weather as additional ITS focus areas, and recognized

the need for total integration of the

maintenance, traffic, and emergency

management functions across wide

areas and between states. Maintenance

management continued the SHRP heritage as the main focus of road weather concerns when the Road Weather

Management Program was formed,

initially as the FHWA "Weather Team",

in 1997. However, the long-term agenda continues to integrate road weather

across management functions, across

modes, and for traveler information.

The research activities below are within this overall weather-across-ITS

strategy. Intelligent Transportation

Systems are also the logical informational interfaces with the national

weather information system.

ITS Architecture and Standards

Intelligent Transportation Systems

use open system principles: a uniformly defined modular structure of information processes with known protocols for exchanging information

between modules. The information

may be free or for a price, but all ITS

applications should be able to get the

information needed to support transportation management decisions. The

National ITS Architecture is the modular structure and was one of the earliest

tasks of the ITS program. Several

equipment interfaces are standardized

under the category of National

Transportation Communications for

ITS Protocol (NTCIP) standards, and

there are associated data object and

message set standards. The ITS program is promoting use of the National

ITS Architecture and its communication standards as requirements for federal aid to ITS deployments by highway operating agencies.

Road weather information was not

an original focus of the National ITS

Architecture, and was defined as flowing from external sources with their

own architecture and standards. As

road weather gains significance in the

ITS, and as the interfaces between road

weather and atmospheric weather need

to be coordinated, the National ITS

Architecture is being adapted. The

Environmental Sensor Station (ESS)

standard was recently approved. This

NTCIP standard specifies data objects

and formats between ESS in the field

and central processors for the data

(e.g., RWIS and traffic management

systems). The ESS standard will be

effective in the integration of different

vendors' systems, and create a uniform

format for ingest of road weather data

into general environmental observing

systems.

Following the rural ITS program

definition of weather and maintenance

as ITS application areas, the National

ITS Architecture has developed the

Maintenance and Construction

Operations (MCO) user service. User

services are the application-oriented

requirements clusters for the architecture. Detailing of the architecture with

respect to road weather and its maintenance applications, through the MCO

user service requirements, was completed in 2002. Among the changes is

definition of a Road Weather

Information Service terminator in

addition to the existing Weather

Service terminator. Together, these

represent the division of responsibility

for road weather information, provided

largely by private vendors and based

on ESS observations, and weather generally. The interfaces between the two

types of services is then defined as

being outside of the ITS. However, the

FHWA maintains an interest in specific improvement in environmental

information that will enhance road

weather prediction, such as higher resolution numerical modeling and better

characterization of precipitation at the

road surface. The interface from the

ESS, which is within the ITS, to both

the road weather and general weather

services, is also of interest to FHWA.

It is hoped that further detailing of

weather applications in traffic and

emergency management will lead to

further architecture developments in

the years ahead. As the interface

between the ITS and the evolving

national weather information system

becomes closer, the National ITS

Architecture and standards will provide a technical basis for integration

and promotion of open system principles. The National ITS Architecture,

in its latest update, can be found at

http://itsarch.iteris.com/itsarch/.

Environmental Observing Systems

Surveillance is fundamental to the

ITS. The state of roadways and traffic

is basic to almost all ITS applications.

The capabilities to observe traffic, road

infrastructure, and the roadway environment are becoming a necessary part
SECTION 3 DOT 139

of roadway facilities themselves. The

information-generating part of road

infrastructure on the National Highway

System is dubbed the "infostructure".

In 2003, the Road Weather

Management Program defined the fundamental data needs of the Weather

Response component of the "infostructure" to estimate an aggregate cost for

deployment of ESS in 61 metropolitan

areas across the nation.

Road weather sensing, through the

ESS, will be a part of the "infostructure". However, there are many

aspects to environmental observation,

and some substitutability between

methods of observation. The authorizing legislation is focused on metropolitan ITS. Clearly, the need for ESS

observations extends further. The ESS

can be a vital part of homeland security, as well as more prosaic hazardous

material (HAZMAT) spill and environmental management. Many types of

fixed, mobile, and remote platforms

can observe relevant environmental

conditions (i.e., atmospheric, pavement, subsurface, and water level conditions). But all observations ultimately support predictive information for

decision support applications. In the

case of pavement temperature, the critical predictor for anti-icing strategies,

heat balance models relying on highresolution numerical modeling of insolation and radiation can substitute for

ESS observations. However, the use of

ESS for localized hazard warning versus general area prediction, and the

value of reinitializing heat balance

models by ESS data require some level

of deployment. Over 2,000 ESS are

owned by state transportation agencies

in the United States as shown in

Figure 3-DOT-5.

Remote ESS are generally fixed, with

in situ sensors for the usual atmospheric

weather variables as well as pavement

and subsurface temperature probes, and

pavement chemical concentration or

pavement freezing point. In some cases,

and potentially over all road mileage,

mobile environmental sensors are

deployed to observe weather and pavement conditions from vehicles. An

important application of the mobile, and

potentially remote, sensing is thermal

mapping of road segments. This technique provides snapshots of complete

pavement temperature profiles and is

used both to select fixed ESS sites and to

spatially predict temperatures based on

time series predictors at the fixed stations. There are future possibilities for

remote sensing of "skin temperature" on

roads and adjacent surfaces, by

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and

satellites (especially the next generation

polar orbiters). This could make a limited deployment of fixed sensors more

effective and improve the initialization

of heat balance models.

Figure 3-DOT-5. Census of Environment Sensor Station units deployed in each state.
140 DOT SECTION 3

At present, ESS data across the

United States are neither integrated nor

open. The data are not centrally collected, in standard format, available to

all users, nor uniformly used.

However, regional efforts are paving

the way for both openness and integration. Mesoscale environmental monitoring networks (or mesonets) within

states and across states, usually under

university auspices, are integrating the

data across many observing systems.

The data are used in some cases to validate weather forecasts and analyses,

and in the rare case, for ingest into

numerical weather prediction models.

In order to address these issues, the

FHWA is participating in OFCM's

Committee on Integrated Observing

Systems (CIOS), as well as efforts to

explore the modernization of the cooperative observer network. From the

FHWA perspective, the purpose of

CIOS involvement is to: (1) arrive at

an efficient allocation of observations

to platforms, including the ESS;

(2) establish further open-system interfaces for environmental observations

with the ITS; and (3) improve the

incorporation of ESS data into general

environmental predictions. The motivation is that better environmental prediction, including the dispersion of

toxic substances in homeland defense

or environmental management, must

consider all interactions between the

land, air and sea domains. It is expected that roadway observing platforms

will become more important over time

and serve both specific road weather

management and general environmental management purposes.

The focus of the FHWA remains on

the application of ESS observations to

road weather management decisionmaking. In 2001, the FHWA sponsored five research projects, under the

Cooperative Program for Meteorological Education and Training

(COMET), which became the first to

add state DOTs to the traditional partnerships of the NWS and universities.

These projects should be completed in

the fall of 2003. The projects are

improving the use of the ESS data,

through various predictive techniques

and decision support applications in

five states - Iowa, Nevada, New York,

Pennsylvania, and Utah.

Decision Support

Under previous efforts within the

program, road weather users identified

information requirements as the trinity

of "relevance, accuracy and timeliness". Those criteria were selected primarily in reaction to synoptic scale

forecasts that were: (1) not relevant to

climatically localized road hazards;

(2) not accurate at such points or at the

long time horizons predicted for; and

(3) not delivered more than the twice

daily nor at frequent prediction times

in between. Improvements in that situation, including National Centers for

Environmental Prediction (NCEP)

models at mesoscale resolution updated as frequent as hourly, are significant. The related improvements in

regional and private numerical prediction are also helpful, but only partially

driven by road weather information

requirements. This is what motivated

the attention away from environmental

prediction to the fusion and presentation of existing information, whatever

its quality. This was in response to the

evident problem that almost all weather-related transportation decisions do

not rely on one information source, nor

on atmospheric information alone.

The gap most in need of attentionbetween increasingly good and plentiful information, and operational decision-making-is the area of FHWA decision support research and development.

Decision support is where road

weather data tailoring occurs. Each

operational decision is specific to a

type of road weather management

strategy, a particular place and time,

and the characteristics of the decision

maker (their expertise, their location,

their information processing equipment). Road weather management

strategies mitigate weather impacts by

advising motorists of prevailing and

predicted conditions (e.g., traveler

information), controlling traffic flow

and roadway capacity (e.g., weatherresponsive traffic signal timing, road

closure), and/or treating roads to minimize or eliminate weather threats (e.g.,

anti-icing/deicing). Such strategies are

consistent with the FHWA Office of

Operations vision of creating 21st century highway operations using 21st

century technology. In most cases,

projects to support decisions about

weather threats have also made some

contribution to the environmental prediction inputs. The following are several important projects undertaken

with FHWA support.

In 1999 and 2000, decision support

requirements, first generally and then

specifically for winter road maintenance, were studied in the Surface

Transportation Weather Decision

Support Requirements (STWDSR)

project. This project used weather

threat scenarios to identify specific

decisions made in winter road maintenance, their timing, and the expected

confidence of the decisions at various

time horizons. General requirements

for emergency managers, traffic managers, and road users were also

defined. The STWDSR project

became an important contributor to the

OFCM's Weather Information for

Surface Transportation (WIST) needs

analysis, the National ITS Architecture

modifications, and to Maintenance

Decision Support System (MDSS) prototype project.

Support for Maintenance Managers

The Maintenance Decision Support

System (MDSS) project is a multi-year

effort to prototype and field test decision support components for winter

maintenance managers. The MDSS

was designed by a consortium of

national laboratories, based on the

requirements articulated by maintenance managers, to help the managers
SECTION 3 DOT 141

improve roadway level of service during winter weather, and to minimize

road treatment costs (by optimizing

use of labor, materials, and equipment). This data management tool has

advanced weather prediction and road

condition prediction capabilities,

including air and pavement temperatures, precipitation start/stop times,

precipitation types and accumulation

amounts. These predictions are fused

with customized maintenance managers' rules of practice to generate

route-specific treatment recommendations (i.e., strategy, timing, and material application rates).

From February to April 2003, the

MDSS prototype was demonstrated

and evaluated in three Iowa DOT

maintenance garages. The main display of the demonstration prototype,

shown in Figure 3-DOT-6, includes

predicted weather and road conditions,

a weather parameter selection menu, a

map of roads and weather alerts, as

well as forecast animation controls.

Lessons learned from the preliminary

demonstration will be used to enhance

the prototype prior to a second demonstration planned from December 2003

to March 2004. Version 2.0 of the

MDSS software will be released in the

fall of 2003. Such products support the

FHWA deployment strategy, which

consists of the private sector building

end-to-end products based on the core

MDSS functionality. These products

will be procured by public agencies

(e.g., state DOTs), enabling both the

private and public sectors to benefit

from millions of dollars of high-risk

research. Additional information on

the MDSS project can be found at

http://www.rap.ucar.edu/projects/rdwx

_mdss.

Support for Traffic Managers

A 2001 survey of 21 traffic management centers found that nearly 90 percent received some general weather

information and over 60 percent used

customized weather data. In January

2003, the Road Weather Management

Program released the WeatherResponsive Traffic Management

Concept of Operations highlighting the

weather-related needs of managers

responsible for freeway and arterial

route operations. This draft concept of

operations addresses road weather data

collection, assessment of weather

impacts on roadway networks, operational strategies to control traffic and

advise motorists during adverse weather, and research needs.

Empirical studies of traffic flow and

driver behavior during inclement

weather are planned for 2004. The

Road Weather Management Program

will work with FHWA's Office of

Operations Research and Development

to collect empirical traffic, weather and

pavement condition data on both freeway and arterial routes to quantify

weather impacts on driver behavior,

traffic speeds, traffic volumes, and

travel time delay. This research project

will also investigate the potential benefits of selected road weather management strategies, such as weatherresponsive traffic signal timing and

variable speed limits.

Support for Emergency Managers

Emergency management, focusing

on traffic operations during hurricane

evacuations, is another major focus of

the Road Weather Management

Program. This activity has been motivated primarily by the record traffic

congestion during evacuation for

Hurricane Floyd in 1999, and the need

for federal transportation representation in efforts to coordinate state evacuation plans. Activities are focusing

on coastal states from Texas to

Virginia, most liable to the hurricane

threat and in need of evacuation from

landfall areas.

The hurricane evacuation activity is

motivated by a weather threat, but is

devoted to transportation activities

prior to any threat occurring. The

objective is to get people away from

the threats of coastal storm surge and

high winds before they hit. Inland

flooding, usually following the evolution of a tropical storm, has typically

been the biggest source of fatalities,

and can do the most damage to strucFigure 3-DOT-6 . Schematic of FHWAs Maintenance Decision Support System.
142 DOT SECTION 3

tures. This is practically a separate

problem. The approach to the hurricane traffic operations issue has had to

be much different from that of winter

maintenance where the inland weather

threat is immediate and primary.

Hurricane landfall is a major operational and research focus of the NWS.

The ability to localize landfall in time

and space, but at long prediction horizons, is the major factor in all emergency and transportation management

decision making. One problem has

been the tradeoff of resolution for

longer time leads. This has been driven by the time needed to evacuate

growing coastal populations, but in

turn results in more people evacuated

over larger areas with more traffic congestion as a result. Hurricane Floyd

was a prime example of this problem.

The hurricane evacuation component

of the FHWA program has focused on:

(1) deployment of a transportation/

evacuation planning tool called the

Evacuation Traffic Information System

(ETIS); (2) promoting intra-state and

inter-state evacuation planning and

transportation operations; (3) documenting the state-of-the-art and the

state-of-the-practice in evacuation traffic management; (4) initiating planning

for demonstration of improved practices; and (5) enhancing the traffic

management role to complement the

evacuation and recovery role of emergency management agencies. The

ETIS was developed originally under

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers auspices, but is now under FHWA sponsorship, and operation by its private

developers. Exercises involving the

tool are providing information that can

lead to improved practices. A series of

multi-state workshops were conducted

in 2002 and 2003, leading to further

grants for planning of improved practices and inter-state, multi-agency

coordination. Improved weather information is not a FHWA focus in this

case. However, in 2002 the FHWA

also began participating in sponsorship

of the United States Weather Research

Program (USWRP), which has been a

center of hurricane landfall and intensity prediction research. More attention to the inland consequences of hurricanes may eventually link the emergency, traffic, and maintenance management components of the FHWA

program into a truly integrated

approach to weather threats.

511-The National Traveler Information

Telephone Number

Just as dialing 911 is the standard

way to access emergency aid over the

telephone, it was thought that a standardized number for travel information

would be beneficial. Accordingly, a

broad coalition of ITS interests, with

technical support to the FCC docket

submission by the FHWA, achieved in

2001 the allocation of a national 511

traveler information telephone number.

In 2002, the FHWA sponsored a number of grants to plan for state deployment of 511 services, and guidelines

were issued on service content

(Figure 3-DOT-7). A survey on traveler information conducted by ITS

America indicated that weather and

road condition information was highest

in demand by travelers. Therefore,

road weather information should be a

key component of 511 services. The

means of delivering information

through 511 are still being developed,

including ways to serve peak demands

for emergency evacuation information,

as part of the homeland defense or

other threat capability.

In June 2003, The 511 Deployment

Coalition released a Deployment

Assistance Report, Weather and

Environmental Content on 511

Systems, to recommend basic content

and provide for consistency in 511 systems as they are deployed across the

country. Since these systems are in

their infancy, gaps exist in defining the

types of road weather information travelers desire, appropriate data formats,

and the frequency and detail needed

for travelers to make safe and effective

decisions. The Road Weather

Management Program participates in

511 Deployment conferences to help

establish road weather data requirements and close these gaps. The 511

program also must find ways to complement NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts (and eventually an all-hazards

warning system), and use the NWS official watches and warning information.

Figure 3-DOT-7 . 511 National Traveler Information Telephone Number

Deployment.
SECTION 3 DOT 143

The 511 capability is just one more

way in which ITS is becoming a significant dissemination means for road

weather information.

Weather Impacts on Roadway Safety,

Mobility & Productivity

While the costs of weather to surface

transportation must be are immense, it

has been difficult to quantify specific

costs or the benefits (as avoidable

costs) through better information to

support better weather response and

mitigation strategies. It is likely that

the costs to mobility, in terms of delay

due to weather, are the largest component. Initial estimates of the economic

impact of weather-related delay on

trucks in the 20 major metropolitan

areas most affected by adverse weather

is on the order of $2 billion per year.

Some delays are due to well-defined

closure events. These are due to

storms that swamp reasonable treatment activities, but could benefit from

more authoritative travel-demand management techniques. This leaves the

much more prevalent, and subtle,

delays due to more minor threats, like

rain, residual snow, or visibility

impairments that are difficult to treat in

any way. Traffic management strategies to address them must be based on

very good, dynamic predictions of

weather, pavement and traffic conditions. However, it is clear from traffic

flow theory that with heavy volumes,

as in metropolitan areas at peak times,

very small changes in effective capacity (as due to a change in road friction)

or very small changes in traffic volume

can have large delay effects.

The FHWA is sponsoring closer

analysis of delay effects due to weather, work zones and incidents. Paucity

of good traffic and road weather data

sets has hindered the analysis, but in

2001 and 2002, analyses were conducted for Seattle, Washington and

Washington, DC metropolitan areas.

These analyses combined surface

weather observations with traffic speed

data, both empirical and modeled. The

results have been consistent in showing about a 12 percent increase in travel time averaged over a wide range of

weather events. A second analysis of

delay effects in Washington, DC was

conducted with archived Doppler radar

data for more precise and more dynamic inference of road weather conditions. Analysis results indicated that

during peak periods travel time

increases by roughly 24 percent when

precipitation is present. Better understanding of weather-traffic interactions

can, in turn, lead to a stronger attack on

delays through traffic management

practices, including speed management, access control (e.g., road closure), motorist warning systems, and

weather-responsive signal timing. A

separate study performed by the Oak

Ridge National Laboratory estimated

that 23 percent of the non-recurrent

delay on highways is due to snow, ice

and fog. This amounts to an estimated

544 million vehicle-hours of delay per

year.

Best Practices for Road Weather

Management, Version 2.0.

The Road Weather Management

Program has documented best practices of maintenance managers, traffic

managers and emergency managers in

response to various weather threats. In

May 2003, FHWA released Version 2.0

of the Best Practices for Road Weather

Management CD-ROM. This resource

contains 30 case studies of systems in

21 states that improve roadway operations in adverse weather, a listing of

over 200 publications related to road

weather management, an overview of

environmental sensor technologies, as

well as online resources (including

39 statewide road condition web sites).

Each case study has six sections

including a general description of the

system, system components, operational procedures, resulting transportation outcomes (i.e., improved safety,

mobility and/or productivity), implementation issues, as well as contact

information and references. Examples

of successful road weather management strategies follow.

A maintenance division of the

Montana DOT employed mobile antiicing and de-icing strategies to proactively respond to winter storms. When

performance was compared to a maintenance division that used reactive

treatment after storms, it was found

that average treatment costs (i.e., labor,

materials, and equipment costs) for the

proactive division were 37 percent

lower. Additionally, a higher level of

service was achieved on road sections

treated by the proactive division resulting in safety and mobility improvements.

On a 19-mile section of Interstate 75

in Tennessee, a fog detection and

warning system collects data from two

Figure 3-DOT-8. Dynamic message signs enable drivers to take precautionary

actions based on weather conditions.
144 DOT SECTION 3

ESS, eight fog detectors, and 44 vehicle speed detectors to predict and

detect conditions conducive to fog formation. When established threshold

criteria are met, traffic managers may

select pre-programmed dynamic message sign (DMS) messages, prerecorded highway advisory radio

(HAR) broadcasts, and/or alter speed

limits via variable speed limit signs

based upon response scenarios proposed by the system. When visibility

is less than 240 feet, the worst-case

scenario, the Highway Patrol activates

eight automatic ramp gates to close the

affected interstate section and detour

traffic to US Route 11. Between 1973,

when the interstate opened, and 1994;

there were over 200 crashes,

130 injuries and 18 fatalities on this

highway section. Since the fog detection and warning system began operating in 1994, safety has been significantly improved and no fog-related

accidents have occurred.

During the Hurricane Floyd evacuation in 1999, traffic and emergency

managers with South Carolina DOT

and the State Highway Emergency

Patrol had not agreed on a lane reversal plan for Interstate 26 prior to hurricane landfall. As a result, there was

severe congestion on this route with a

maximum per lane volume of roughly

1,400 vehicles per hour. Managers

quickly developed a lane reversal plan

for reentry operations. Portable DMS

and HAR transmitters were deployed

to alert travelers of closures and alternate routes, and westbound lanes were

reversed. Maximum volumes during

reentry exceeded 2,000 vehicles per

hour per lane-a 43 percent increase

over evacuation volumes. The use of

lane reversal and traveler information

techniques improved mobility by significantly increasing roadway capacity.
SECTION 3 DOT 145

The Federal Railroad Administration

(FRA) supports improving the collection, dissemination, and application of

weather data to enhance railroad safety

through the Intelligent Weather

Systems project, as part of the

Intelligent Railroad Systems and

Railroad System Safety research programs. These programs address safety

issues for freight, commuter, intercity

passenger, and high-speed passenger

railroads.

Intelligent Weather Systems for railroad operations consist of networks of

local weather sensors and instrumentation - both wayside and on-board

locomotives - combined with national,

regional, and local forecast data to alert

train control centers, train crews, and

maintenance crews of actual or potential hazardous weather conditions.

Intelligent weather systems will provide advance warning of weathercaused hazards such as flooding; track

washouts; snow, mud, or rock slides;

high winds; fog; high track-buckling

risk; or other conditions which require

adjustment to train operations or action

by maintenance personnel

(Figure 3-DOT-8). Weather data collected on the railroad could also be forwarded to weather forecasting centers

to augment their other data sources.

The installation of the digital data link

communications network is a prerequisite for this activity.

FRA intends to examine ways that

weather data can be collected on railroads and moved to forecasters, and

ways that forecasts and current weather information can be moved to railroad control centers and train and

maintenance crews to avoid potential

accident situations. This research is

estimated to continue for 5-6 years

after it begins. This is one of the partnership initiatives identified in the

NSTC's National Transportation

Technology Plan.

FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION

Figure 3-DOT-8. Track washed out by

flood waters from Hurricane Alberto.

SECTION 3 DOT 147

The Federal Transit Administration's

(FTA) mission is to "provide leadership, technical assistance and financial

resources for safe, technologically

advanced public transportation which

enhances all citizens' mobility and

accessibility, improves America's communities and natural environment, and

strengthens the national economy."

FTA's vision for public transportation is clearly making it the transportation mode of choice in America.

Public transportation in America can

set the standard for "world-class"

transportation service, where thriving

communities grow with public transportation and access is provided for

everyone to fully participate in

American life. Through the more than

$7 billion annual assistance to the

nation's transportation system, FTA

maintains the Federal commitment to

public transportation.

Daily, transit systems safely and efficiently move millions of people,

reducing congestion, facilitating economic development, and connecting

people to their jobs and communities.

When combined with state and local

funding, FTA's assistance promotes

sustainable community development,

while addressing critical safety and

security issues.

Several major initiatives are underway to achieve make vision reality,

including: designing and delivering an

assistance program for the multibillion

dollar-effort to support the lower

Manhattan Recovery project; implementing strategies to annually increase

transit ridership; and creating a national portfolio of security products and

services for transit systems. 

Buses form the backbone of our

nation's transit systems. About 58 percent of all transit users take the bus,

and even in many cities with extensive

rail systems, more people ride the bus

than take the train. One hundred gallons of fuel can be saved each year for

every person riding the bus instead of

driving. The savings by rail riders are

even greater (Figure 3-DOT-9). In this

context, FTA assists in providing an

energy efficient means of transporting

people, thereby, reducing emissions

caused by transportation and lessening

the Nation's dependence on fossil

fuels, including foreign oil.

The United States Department of

Transportation has a variety of

research development and demonstration programs and initiatives that are

targeted at reducing the emissions and

improving the efficiency of vehicles

including trucks, buses, marine vessels, airport support equipment, and

other specialty vehicles. One of FTA's

newest initiatives will also look at

enhancing research in these and other

areas, as a means to support increased

annual transit ridership, increased

readiness, and more effective program

planning and oversight that is responsive to industry needs.

FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION

Figure 3-DOT-9. Rail Transit in

Southern California.
METEOROLOGICAL PROGRAMS

Numerous agencies within the

United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA) require a wide

range of high quality weather and climatological data to successfully carry

out their missions. Some of the diverse

applications that require accurate,

timely, and comprehensive data

include crop monitoring and weather

impact assessment, agricultural yield

and productivity modeling, natural

resource conservation planning, forest

fire potential monitoring, irrigation

scheduling, water supply information,

reinsurance and compliance programs,

crop disaster assistance and emergency

relief programs, integrated past management, crop yield modeling, and

agricultural research studies. The following is a brief description of agency

weather activities.

Office Of The Chief Economist/World

Agricultural Outlook Board

The World Agricultural Outlook

Board (WAOB), in cooperation with

National Weather Service's (NWS)

Climate Prediction Center, staffs and

supports the Joint Agricultural Weather

Facility (JAWF). Created in 1978 as

an operational unit, JAWF meteorologists work as a team, monitoring global weather conditions and preparing

real-time agricultural assessments

(Figure 3-USDA-1). These assessments keep USDA commodity analysts, the Office of the Chief

Economist (OCE), and the Secretary of

Agriculture and top staff well informed

of worldwide weather related developments and their affects on crops and

livestock. In addition to providing

these routine assessments, WAOB

agricultural meteorologists are frequently requested to prepare special

assessments when adverse or anomalous weather conditions (i.e.,

droughts, heat waves, freezes, floods)

are observed in major crop producing

regions. When integrated with economic analyses and information, these

routine and special crop-weather

assessments provide critical information to decision-makers formulating

crop production forecasts and trade

policy. They also help analysts identify potential agricultural markets for

United States products worldwide.

The JAWF serves as the

Department's focal point for weather

data received from the World

Meteorological Organization's (WMO)

Global Weather Observing System.

These data are used at JAWF and other

USDA agencies for a number of agricultural applications. Another major

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE WEATHER PROGRAMS

The Nation's food and fiber products are a critical resource impacting our domestic and international

economic situation and are essential for ensuring our national security and shaping foreign policy.

Weather is the most important factor influencing the Nation's variability in crop yields and related production. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) monitors global weather and agricultural developments through the Joint Agricultural Weather Facility (JAWF). The JAWF provides critical information to decision-makers formulating crop production forecasts, programs that provide natural disaster assistance to U.S. farmers and ranchers, emergency relief programs, and trade policy. USDA operates specialized weather observing networks such as SNOTEL, RAWS, and Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) that provide vital data and information used to forecast seasonal water supplies in the West, to support national conservation

programs, and to monitor the health of the Nation's forests. USDA conducts supporting research that focuses on understanding the interactions of weather and climate with plants, animals, forests, and forest ecological systems. 

SECTION 3 USDA 149

Figure 3-USDA-1. Joint Agricultural Weather Facility Home page.
150 USDA SECTION 3

source of domestic weather and climate data that is used by USDA comes

from the NWS's Cooperative Observer

(COOP) Network. WAOB agricultural

meteorologists merge the weather data

with climatological analyses and global agronomic data, to determine the

weathers impact on crop development

and yield potential. Weekly briefings

are provided to USDA commodity analysts and top staff. The Senate and

House Agricultural Committees periodically request agricultural weather

briefings that focus on the severity and

impact of drought, heat waves, and

excessive wetness in major crop areas

around the Nation.

JAWF's flagship publication is the

Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin

(WWCB). First published in 1872 as

the Weekly Weather Chronicle, the

publication has evolved over the past

129 years into one that provides a vital

source of information on weather, climate, and agricultural developments

worldwide. The publication is a shining example of how two major departments within the federal government

can mutually cooperate, combining

meteorology and agriculture to provide

a service that benefits the economic

well being of the nation. The WWCB

highlights weekly meteorological and

agricultural developments on a national and international scale, providing

written summaries of weather and climate conditions affecting agriculture,

as well as detailed maps and tables of

agrometeorological information that

are appropriate for the season. The

WWCB is available in electronic form

over the Internet at URL address:

http://www.usda.gov/agency/oce/waob/jawf/.

Drought is the leading hazard in economic losses each year in the United

States. In the summer of 1999, a monitoring tool known as the Drought

Monitor was developed to help assess

drought conditions in the United

States. The Drought Monitor is a collaborative effort between federal and

academic partners, including the

University of Nebraska-Lincoln

National Drought Mitigation Center,

the USDA/OCE/WAOB/JAWF, the

NOAA/NWS/Climate Prediction

Center, and the NOAA/NESDIS/

National Climatic Data Center. Nine

lead authors rotate the responsibility of

preparing the Drought Monitor.

Produced on a weekly basis, the

Drought Monitor is a synthesis of multiple indices, outlooks, and impacts

depicted on a map and in narrative

form. The official Web site for the

Drought Monitor can be found at

http://enso.unl.edu/monitor. The

Drought Monitor is released each

Thursday at 8:30 A.M. Eastern Time.

The WAOB/JAWF opened a field

office in Stoneville, Mississippi in

October 1998. The JAWF Mississippi

Field Office is co-located with the

Mississippi State University Delta

Research Extension Center (DREC).

The purpose of the co-located JAWF

and DREC Data Center is to collect,

quality control, and manage agricultural weather data and to make it available to the entire Delta agricultural

community, including extension service, researchers, and farmers. In a

cooperative effort between USDA,

Mississippi State University,

Mississippi State University Extension

Service, and Meteor Communications

Corporation, Inc., a meteor burst communication facility was established on

Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry

Experiment Station's land in

Stoneville. This master communications facility is currently operational,

and is being used to collect weather

data from numerous meteor burst sites

established in the Mississippi Delta

region. Currently, there are six meteor

burst sites located in the Delta.

Forest Service

Smoke from forest fires and other

biomass burning is a national concern

as use of prescribed fire in ecosystem

management increases. Exposure of

fire fighters and citizens to forest fire

smoke, changes in visibility and haze,

and smoke contributions to regional

and local air pollution are of concern.

Forest Service Research (FSR) is the

world leader in developing emissions

factors from fires and modeling its dispersion. FSR has conducted research

on impacts of smoke on human health;

relationships between on-site meteorology and smoke dispersion; consequences of smoke to visibility in Clean

Air Act Class I Areas; and potential of

smoke to exacerbate ozone episodes.

FSR has provided basic research to

support states' air regulatory programs

and EPA's development of air quality

standards.

Air pollution effects (primarily ozone)

remain a serious threat to forest health

in some parts of the U.S. FSR is

describing long-term effects of air pollution on forests of the Sierra Nevada,

Colorado, and southwestern Wyoming.

FSR methods for assessing air pollution

are also being used in other countries

(Czech Republic, Mexico, Bulgaria).

Nitrogen and sulfur atmospheric deposition have been studied for many years

in eastern forest watersheds, and FSR

has demonstrated that increased nitrogen deposition can affect water quality

and ecosystem function in western

forests. FSR is investigating nitrogen

deposition in selected forest ecosystems

across the U.S. to improve knowledge

of potential nationwide impacts
SECTION 3 USDA 151

The operational weather program

provides key liaison with the Satellite

Telemetry Working Group (STWG) on

satellite services and with the National

Weather Service, DOI, and the

National Wildfire Coordinating Group

(NWCG) on the delivery of fire weather forecasting, critical for safety and

effectiveness of fire fighting and for

flash flood warnings. The weather

program oversees the standards for

over 600 remote automated weather

stations (RAWS) across the country.

These stations form the basis for the

assessment of fire danger, the pre-positioning of fire fighting resources and

the conducting of prescribed fire operations. The costs include contracts for

the delivery of this information to

agency personnel, fire weather forecasters, and state forestry agencies that

use the data in real-time for critical

decisions.

The air quality program is a major

user of meteorological data. The

Forest Service cooperates in operating

a multi-agency national monitoring

network for regional haze and particulate matter - some of these sites collect

meteorological data to aid in the interpretation of the air quality data. The

Forest Service separately funds monitoring of water quality, soil chemistry,

macro-invertebrates, lichens, and

ozone effects on vegetation to assess

existing impacts on national forests

and the 88 Class I areas managed. The

Forest Service participates in all of the

5 regional planning organizations

established under the regional haze

rule. As Federal land managers, the

agency is represented on the policy

committees and on other key technical

committees. The program evaluates

permit applications under section 169

of the Clean Air Act to respond to

states on possible impacts to class I

areas. The evaluation uses climatological data.

The agency weather program works

with the predictive services unit at the

National Interagency Fire Center

(NIFC, Boise, Idaho,) in providing

technical support and oversight to

10 Geographic Coordination Centers

and works closely with the Forest

Service Research and Development

staff in the oversight of the 5 fire consortia for Advanced Modeling of

Meteorology and Smoke locations.

This effort, in cooperation with NOAA

and EPA, will provide valuable smoke

forecasting and air quality information

to fire and air quality programs.

Natural Resources Conservation

Service

Snowmelt provides approximately

80 percent of the stream-flow in the

West. The Natural Resources

Figure 3-USDA-5. JAWFs U.S. Drought Monitor web page

(http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html) offers a variety of

products. In addition to weekly forecasts, the web site includes 6-

and 12-week animated maps as well as maps of Short- and LongTerm Drought Indicators. The data cutoff for Drought Monitor

maps is Tuesday at 8 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. These maps are

based on an analysis of data collected each Tuesday at 8:00 a.m.,

Eastern Standard Time and released each Thursday at 8:30 a.m.

Eastern Time.
152 USDA SECTION 3

Conservation Service (NRCS), in partnership with other federal and state

agencies, operates the Snow Survey

and Water Supply Forecasting

Program (SS&WSF) in 11 western

states and Alaska. To accurately forecast seasonal water supplies, the

Program collects critical snow and climate data from high elevation snow

packs in the mountainous West. The

data collection system includes

1,100 manual snow courses and over

670 automated SNOTEL (SNOw pack

TELemetry) monitoring stations

throughout the West. These data,

along with information from

575 stream gauges, 310 major reservoirs, and 3,200 climatological observing stations are merged into a hydroclimatic database that is used to produce real-time watershed analyses and

water supply forecasts. Monitoring is

done in partnership with federal, state,

and local agencies, power companies,

irrigation districts, and the Provincial

Government of British Columbia. This

information is the basis for water management decisions under international

treaties with Canada and Mexico.

Additionally, the SS&WSF Program

supports research to improve monitoring technology, data reliability, data

quality, water supply forecasting, and

water resource modeling.

The SNOTEL automated data collection system plays a key role by supplying near real-time remote hydro-meteorological data needed to evaluate

snow packs, potential stream-flow

water supplies and drought risk. The

SNOTEL network can provide hourly

precipitation, temperature, and snow

pack depletion information that significantly improves flood stage forecasts

and the monitoring of other life threatening snow-related events. This

enables emergency management agencies to effectively mitigate drought and

flood damages. An added benefit during non-survey season is hourly climate monitoring to assess forest and

wildfire potential.

Water supply forecasts are produced

annually, January through June, in

partnership with the National Weather

Service (NWS). The purposes of water

supply forecasts are to: (1) help irrigators make the most effective use of

limited water supplies for agricultural

production needs; (2) assist the federal

government in administering international water treaties with Canada and

Mexico; (3) assist state governments in

managing intrastate streams and interstate water compacts; (4) assist municipalities in planning the early management of anticipated water supplies and

drought mitigation; (5) operate reservoirs to satisfy multiple use demands

including hydropower generation;

(6) mitigate flood damages in levied

areas and downstream from reservoirs;

and (7) support fish and wildlife management activities associated with

species protection legislation.

During a typical forecast season, the

NRCS SS&WSF Program issues

approximately 11,000 seasonal water

supply forecasts at over 709 locations

in 12 Western states. The water supply

forecasts are coordinated and peer

reviewed by a number of federal agencies and cooperators to ensure highest

quality and accuracy. Major cooperators include the Bureau of

Reclamation, Corps of Engineers,

Bonneville Power Authority, state and

local agencies, power utilities, irrigation districts, Tribal Nations, the

Provincial Government of British

Columbia, the Yukon Territory and

Mexico. The primary users of this

information include agricultural,

municipal, industrial, hydropower, and

recreation. Recent federal legislation

related to endangered species protection has placed increased emphasis on

timely and accurate forecasts. The

National Water & Climate Center

(NWCC) web site provides snow data,

analyses, and forecasts efficiently to

about 80,000 users. The web site

experiences over one million accesses

per month during the snow season.

The SS&WSF Program provides a

variety of climate and water supply

products that are used to assess

Western drought. These include SNOTEL snow pack and precipitation

analysis in the mountains, water supply forecasts, and state Surface Water

Supply Indexes. These products are

critical to the weekly production of the

interagency Drought Monitor web

based report. A cooperative, nationwide network of more than 70 Soil

Climate Analysis Network (SCAN)

sites in 38 states monitor soil temperature and moisture to support national

drought monitoring, production agriculture, and climate change research.

NRCS provides climate data and

products that directly support agriculture and conservation activities nationwide. Digital maps of monthly and

annual precipitation and temperature

for the U.S. are available from the

NWCC web site. To meet the needs

for real-time climate information and

analysis, the SS&WSF Program and

the NOAA Climate program are sponsoring the Unified Climate Access

Network (UCAN). UCAN is an

Internet-based climate data delivery

system that provides the NRCS,

USDA, and partners with Internet

access to thousands of climate data sets

collected by scores of federal, state,

and county networks. To support agricultural modeling efforts, the NWCC

is also providing serially complete

(i.e., no missing data values) temperature and precipitation data for approximately 11,000 climate stations nationwide. NRCS long range planning is

supported by the Generation of weather Elements for Multiple (GEM) applications model, which has been used to

generate future climate data sets for

more than 250 locations nationwide.

GEM is being integrated with several

NRCS environmental models.

Research, Education, and Economics 

The mission of the USDA supporting

research program is to develop and

disseminate information and tech-
SECTION 3 USDA 153

niques to ensure high quality commodities and products while minimizing any adverse effects of agriculture

on the environment.

Research conducted at the

Agricultural Research Service focuses

on how annual variation in weather

adversely controls crop and animal

production, hydrologic processes, the

availability of water from watersheds,

and the environmental and economic

sustainability of agricultural enterprises. Scientists are developing algorithms and decision support systems

for the development of a stochastic

storm-generator model and methodology to use contemporary weather radar

systems to determine rainfall amounts

and the spatial distribution and variability in precipitation associated with

individual storms. Additional research

is being conducted to integrate seasonal forecasts, other information on

extended climate departures from normal and extreme events, corresponding

agricultural responses, and associated

uncertainties into planning and management decision aids readily useable

by producers. The research is conducted in collaboration with the NOAA

forecast developers.

The Cooperative State Research,

Education, and Extension Service

(CSREES) funds research projects that

collect and process long-term weather

and climatic data and provide immediate and future use as a base of information for the projection and prediction of atmospheric trends related to

environmental impacts of human activities, soils, crops and domestic animals. Broader areas of study involve

atmospheric dynamics and its role in

global change. The impact of changes

in UV and ozone level studies also fit

into this broad global category.

Historical climatic changes are related to trends visible from present data

gathering studies, enabling prediction

of future crop production and irrigation

needs. CSREES funding supports

studies on the impact of climate and

weather on food and fiber production.

These studies relate to forest plant

growth, rangeland productivity, cropping system selection and livestock

production practices.

Man's impact on climate systems is also

well represented in studies of both microand macro-atmospheric change. These

involve studies dealing with the atmospheric impact of changes in air quality,

water quality and point/non-point pollution related to agricultural practices.

Studies on atmospheric impact on nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration are

supported with CSREES funds.

Research is also being supported that

quantifies the impact of climate change

on the incidence and severity of plant and

animal diseases and pests.

The National Research Initiative

(NRI) has funded a wide variety of

weather and climate research. Topics

have varied from a number of fundamental plant drought tolerance studies

to using meteorological data to forecast market performance. Much of the

support in this area is also focused on

climate change. The NRI has also

funded research on how land changes

have influenced climate and vice

versa.

Investigations by the National

Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)

support domestic crop estimating programs for all major commodities.

Research continues to develop models

relating weather parameters and associated variables to plant processes.

Weather data from the NWS observing

network has been an integral part of

NASS's state crop reporting system.

Rural Development

In FY 2001, Congress appropriated

$4.989 million in grant funds to facilitate the expansion of the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's weather radio system into rural

areas that are not covered or are poorly covered at this time. The funds were

carried over and in FY 2002 $3.5 million were obligated and the remaining

balance will be obligated in FY 2003.

This system alerts area residents of

oncoming hazardous weather so that

they may seek appropriate shelter.

Since this funding was not fully utilized in FY 2002, the budget does not

request additional funding for FY 2003

and FY 2004.

In June 2000, then Secretary of

DOE, Bill Richardson, appointed the

first Under Secretary for the newly

formed National Nuclear Security

Administration (NNSA). The NNSA

mission is:

 To enhance United States national

security through the military application of nuclear energy.

 To maintain and enhance the safety,

reliability, and performance of the

United States nuclear weapons

stockpile, including the ability to

design, produce, and test, in order

to meet national security requirements.

 To provide the United States Navy

with safe, militarily effective

nuclear propulsion plants and to

ensure the safe and reliable operation of those plants.

 To promote international nuclear

safety and non-proliferation.

 To reduce global danger from

weapons of mass destruction.

 To support United States leadership

in science and technology.

DOE and the NNSA continue to

address its mission areas of national

security, energy security, environmental quality, and science and technology.

Inherent in all the DOE mission areas

are safety and health commitments to

its employees and the public communities in which DOE and NSSA field

sites are located.

Atmospheric science research programs and meteorological operations

have been an integral part of DOE and

its predecessor agencies since the Cold

War era. It is vital to understand the

energy-related impacts to the atmospheric and environmental domains and

how these impacts relate to other global issues, particularly with regard to

climate. Today's global climate change

issues are relying on information collected through basic atmospheric science research programs in order to

reduce uncertainties in these areas.

DOE and NNSA administer programmatic activities throughout their

various program offices, such as the

Office of Science, Office of Energy

Efficiency and Renewable Energy

(EERE) and the Office of

Environmental Management (EM).

These program offices are responsible

for the management of scientific

research and operational programs,

such as Global Climate Change

Research (GCCR), National

Atmospheric Release Advisory Center

(NARAC), and various environmental

cleanup activities at former Cold War

era production sites. Additional activities at DOE and NNSA sites include

support to daily operations and national defense programs; all of which

require a meteorological monitoring

program.

Meteorological services at DOE and

NNSA facilities range from cuttingedge basic research to providing daily

operational support. Some examples

of research and development are investigations regarding climate change,

radiation transfer mechanisms and

cloud studies, atmospheric chemistry,

and studies of atmospheric boundary

layer processes. Operational support

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY

ADMINISTRATION (NNSA) OPERATIONAL AND RESEARCH

WEATHER PROGRAMS

For almost 60 years, the Department of Energy (DOE) and its predecessors, the Atomic Energy

Commission (AEC) and the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), have established and supported meteorological operations and atmospheric research at the DOE field facilities.

The need for meteorological services began in 1944 with the development, fabrication, and testing of

atomic weapons and their accompanying national security and safety issues. Meteorological program

requirements were subsequently augmented, starting in the late-1960's, by the passage of environmental protection legislation under the Clean Air Act, which is enforced by the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) under 40 CFR enabling regulations, and reinforced by several DOE Orders that specify requirements for

meteorological services to protect public health and safety and the environment. Consequently, a meteorological monitoring program has become an even more essential component of each DOE site. Moreover, the acquisition of quality-assured meteorological data and the provision of weather forecasting services is an important element of a DOE

Integrated Safety Management System (ISMS). It significantly contributes to the implementation of site-wide personnel safety programs along with site evaluations. These evaluations include, but are not limited to the following: protection of facility workers and the public; development of Authorization Basis (AB) safety documentation; diagnostic

and prognostic consequence assessment elements of an emergency management system; preparation of permits to support environmental compliance activities; and, impact analyses of construction and operation of projects and missions

requiring National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) determinations.

SECTION 3 DOE 155
156 DOE SECTION 3

programs include daily-customized

weather forecasting services, support

to national defense projects and homeland security, on-site meteorological

monitoring programs, climatology

services, and emergency preparedness

and response program support. Some

DOE sites maintain 24-hour weather

watches for severe weather conditions

that have the potential to impact site

operations, damage property, or threaten lives. DOE-wide lightning safety

initiatives, which are becoming integral elements of an Integrated Safety

Management System (ISMS) are supported by DOE operational meteorological programs (e.g., Nevada Test

Site [NTS], Hanford Site, Idaho

National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory [INEEL]).

Several DOE and NNSA field offices

and their associated sites and facilities

cover large areas (e.g., INEEL, Oak

Ridge Reservation, NTS, Hanford Site,

and Savannah River Site [SRS]). In

addition, several DOE sites are situated in areas of complex topography and

heterogeneous surface characteristics,

creating mesoscale conditions that

locally influence on-site weather and

atmospheric transport and dispersion.

For these reasons, and to ensure the

protection of public health and safety

and the environment, on-site meteorological monitoring programs are an

essential part of DOE atmospheric science programs. Moreover, partnerships

have been forged with other Federal

agencies (i.e., Department of Defense

[DOD], Department of Transportation

[DOT], Department of Commerce

[DOC], U.S. Department of

Agriculture [USDA], and the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration

[NASA]). In some cases, interagency

agreements have been developed,

which have been in place for more than

45 years.

Some DOE and NNSA sites enhance

the spatial resolution of the National

Weather Service (NWS) observing network by taking standard surface and

upper-air observations. Many of these

sites are in remote areas where NWS

and community weather observations

would otherwise be limited. Weather

observations taken at a few DOE field

sites are entered into the database via

the NWS meteorological data distribution and display system. This distribution and display system interconnects

field offices and serves as the distribution system for NWS meteorological

products that are centrally produced by

the National Centers for Environmental

Prediction (NCEP). Some DOE and

NNSA sites [e.g., NOAA Air

Resources Laboratory (ARL)/Special

Operations and Research Division

(SORD), Las Vegas, Nevada] employ

the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) Advanced

Weather Information Processing

System (AWIPS), as well as vertical

profilers and meteorological monitoring networks.

An accidental, and since 9/11, an

intentional release of radioactive,

chemical, or even biological toxic

material into the atmosphere can have

potentially serious health effects, as

well as environmental consequences.

Meteorological transport and dispersion processes play a key role in determining the fate of radioactive, toxic

chemical, or biological agents released

into the atmosphere. Consequently, a

central theme within the DOE community has been to protect public health,

safety, and the environment within and

around DOE and NNSA facilities by

accurately measuring and characterizing the important atmospheric processes.

In recognition of this need, DOE has

established and supported on-site

meteorological monitoring programs

since 1944 (i.e., Hanford site). Each

meteorological program is primarily

directed towards the support of emergency response programs and in the

protection of the environment and

safety and health of the on-site work

force and the public. In addition,

research on the modeling of the transport, dispersion, deposition, and resuspension of radioactive, toxic chemical,

and biological agent materials is

undertaken to refine the models used in

these endeavors. New remote sensing

techniques are being developed, such

as the "Best" Aircraft Turbulence

probe at the NOAA ARL Field

Research Division (FRD), in Idaho

Falls, Idaho. Site-specific weather

forecasting services are tailored for the

respective operational and emergency

response management requirements of

the DOE site. These services provide

necessary support to the safety and

health programs designed to protect

site personnel and the public.

A large majority of the research and

operational support has been provided

by the atmospheric research programs

at the five major field offices directly

involved in national defense programs.

Over the years, these programs have

grown to address and support many

environmental, safety, and health

issues and programs. Due to the complexity of these activities, it was recognized that efforts should be made to

coordinate meteorological operations

and research among the field offices to

enhance cost effectiveness and productivity. To address these considerations,

the DOE Meteorological Coordinating

Council (DMCC) was formed in 1994.

The following narrative highlights

meteorological activities at 15 separate

DOE and NNSA sites.

ARGONNE NATIONALLABORATORY

(ANL)

ANL is one of DOE's largest research

centers. It is also the nation's first

national laboratory, chartered in 1946.

ANL is managed and operated by the

University of Chicago (UC) for the

DOE Chicago Operations Office.

Argonne occupies two sites, designated as ANL-East in Illinois and ANLWest in Idaho. The Illinois site is surrounded by forest preserve on
SECTION 3 DOE 157

1,500 wooded acres about 25 miles

southwest of Chicago's Loop. The site

also houses the DOE Chicago

Operations Office. Argonne-West

occupies about 900 acres about 50

miles west of Idaho Falls in the Snake

River Valley. It is the home of most of

the ANL major nuclear reactor

research facilities. 

There are three divisions, Environmental Research, Decision and

Information Sciences and

Environmental Assessment at ANL

with meteorological research or operational program support. Two crossdivisional groups are involved in these

programs at ANL: the Atmospheric

Research Section (ARS) and the

Atmospheric Emergency Preparedness

(AEP) Group. The ARS is composed

of scientist with research activities in

both basic and applied science; particular technical strengths are in the areas

of air-surface exchange, remote sensing, atmospheric chemistry, and

numerical modeling. About half of the

ARS support is currently devoted to

activities associated with the DOE

Atmospheric Radiation Measurement

(ARM) Program. The AEP Group is

composed of scientists and engineers

in two divisions involved in programs

with a greater emphasis on applied science. Particular technical strengths

include air pollution meteorology,

emergency preparedness and response,

and stochastic systems simulations.

More than half of the AEP Group support is associated with the DOE PROTECT Critical Infrastructure Program

involving chemical and biological

agents.

The ARS operates and maintains a

60-meter meteorological tower and

supplies meteorological data for emergency response, facility operations,

and regulatory compliance for ANL

operations. Wind and temperature

measurements are taken at the 10-meter

and 60-meter levels. Real-time and

historical data are available via the

Web (http://gonzalo.er.anl.gov/ANLMET).

As part of a larger program for the

protection of subway systems from terrorist attacks using chemical agents,

the AEP Group is installing sonic

anemometers as well as temperature

and pressure sensors in the subway

tunnels of a large urban subway system. These instruments will assist in

the understanding of flows in the tunnels, which are driven by a combination of: 

 The "piston" action of train motion;

and,

 Buoyancy effects and aboveground

forcing.

Measurements from these instruments will be correlated with the above

ground measurements to develop and

validate predictive and emergency

response models for flow and dispersion in subway systems.

The AEP Group research also focuses on the analysis of routinely measured meteorological data to provide

atmospheric boundary layer turbulence

information for atmospheric dispersion

calculations. Under the Department of

the Army Chemical Stockpile

Emergency Preparedness Program

(CSEPP), ANL provides support to

improve the collection efficiency and

quality of meteorological data measured at the Army's Chemical

Demilitarization towers. The data are

used by the emergency operation centers in support of emergency response

exercises and for use in real-time in the

event an actual accident. The goal of

CSEPP support is to improve the accuracy and robustness of the data

Figure 3-DOE-1. DOE Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment (ABLE) site

locations in the Midwest.
158 DOE SECTION 3

obtained from the meteorological monitoring stations and to develop unified

quality control and analyses procedures of the data collected by the towers.

Key support is also provided to the

Department of Transportation (DOT)

in applying an ANL-developed 5-year

meteorological database for over

100 locations in the United States to

conduct statistical analyses of hazardous materials incidents on a national basis. Recent work for DOT has

centered on development of the Table

of Initial Isolation and Protective

Action Distances for the 2000

Emergency Response Guidebook.

Protective Action Distances are given

in the Table for over 200 toxic-byinhalation chemicals and generic compounds for both daytime and nighttime

accidents, and represent the safe distance for 90 percent of hazardous

materials transportation accidents considering variability in meteorology and

spill size. Recent work for DOT has

also involved conducting national risk

assessments for transportation of certain high volume toxic chemicals like

chlorine, ammonia, hydrogen fluoride

and sulfur dioxide.

The Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Experiments (ABLE) program is one

of several DOE supported research

programs conducted by the ARS.

ABLE is located on the lower

Walnut Watershed, mostly in Butler

County east of the city of Wichita,

Kansas (Figure 3-DOE-1). This

location is within the existing

boundaries of the DOE ARM

Program, Southern Great Plains

(SGP) Clouds and Radiation Testbed (CART) site. The establishment

of this facility offers a virtual atmospheric observatory and provides

essential research tools for addressing a myriad of unresolved fundamental questions in atmospheric

research. The ABLE provides a continuous view of processes in the

lower atmosphere over a limited

domain within the SGP CART site.

The initial focus of the ABLE is

measurements of the Planetary

Boundary Layer (PBL) where almost

all interactions between the atmosphere and humans take place. Many

scientific issues may be addressed by

use of such a facility, including:

 Natural disaster reduction and public safety;

 Safe and efficient aviation and

other transportation;

 Agriculture;

 Water resource management;

 Effective energy production, use

and environmental protection;

 Space flight operations;

 Defense; and,

 Related areas of Earth Science.

Instrumentation at the ABLE site

includes winds, temperatures, moisture, surface net radiation and soil

moisture as the minimum set of atmospheric observations. The set of equipment available at the ABLE includes:

 Three 915 MHz RWP-RASS (wind

speed and direction, virtual temperature profiles);

 Three minisodars (wind and turbulence profiles between heights of

10 m and 200 m);

 One lidar ceilometer (cloud base

height);

 One balloon-borne sounding system (wind, temperature, moisture

profiles);

 Five surface flux stations (surface

sensible and latent heat, ground

heat storage);

 Five soil moisture sampling stations

(soil moisture, soil temperature);

 One satellite data receiver-processor;

 One data hub/central location for

data collection; and,

 One (extra) instrument pad for visiting scientist instrument accommodation.

BROOKHAVEN NATIONAL

LABORATORY (BNL)

The BNL, under the responsibility of

the Brookhaven Area Office, has been

active in both operational meteorology

and atmospheric sciences for the past

50 years. BNL is now managed by

Brookhaven Science Associates, which

is a joint venture by Battelle Memorial

Institute Incorporated, The Research

Foundation of the State University of

New York at Stony Brook, and six

other core university partners.

Meteorological operations and

research cover a wide range of programs encompassing interpretive and

theoretical studies. BNL is located

near the geographical center of Long

Island, New York. Long Island is glacial in origin and, as a result, has sandy

soil, mostly gentle undulating contours, and a single water aquifer for the

entire island. Elevations vary between

20 meters and 35 meters. The BNL

site is rectangular and approximately

5,200 acres in area. Winds are predominantly southwesterly, and plume

dispersion studies show that it is essential to monitor winds well beyond laboratory borders. The NWS New York

City Weather Forecast Office is located

at BNL. This office has an umbrella of

coverage that includes an estimated

population of one million. Nearby, in

Bohemia, is the NWS Eastern

Regional Headquarters that administers a 12-state region.

The mesoscale meteorological measurements necessary for emergency

response are the responsibility of the

Meteorological Services Group, a support group under the Department of

Applied Science, Environmental

Biology and Instrumentation Division

(EBID).

The Meteorological Services Group

maintains two meteorological towers,

10-meter and 88-meter, and an instrument shelter. By integrating redundant
SECTION 3 DOE 159

pairs of standard, approved meteorological sensors throughout the system,

an overall data availability of better

than 99 percent is achieved. The realtime data are merged into the laboratory emergency response network. A

meteorological database covering

50 years (in digital format since 1960),

one of the longest continuous meteorological time series in the United States,

is archived and is available. A realtime monitoring network with worldwide web access covers the eastern end

of Long Island. Coastal weather stations at Smith Point and Orient Point

transmit data each minute. Pollutionmonitoring data buoys are added during field programs.

The Meteorological Services Group

provides a locally tuned forecast twice

daily during normal working hours.

Weather forecasts and data are available by telephone or the Internet

(www.weather.bnl.gov). During

severe weather events updates are

given every three hours and, in the case

of a hazardous material or radiological

release, a member of the

Meteorological Services Group will

assist the emergency coordinator with

regular forecasts and information on

local wind fields and gustiness.

Areas of meteorological research at

BNL include:

 Instrumentation development for

field studies of atmospheric constituents, air-sea interaction, and

laboratory experiments;

 Gaseous tracer studies of atmospheric transport and dispersion; 

 Aerosol formation and behavior;

 Atmospheric pollution studies; 

 Modeling of atmospheric chemical

reactions;

 Acid rain studies both in the field

and in the laboratory;

 Theoretical and observational studies of radiation transfer and fluxes;

and,

 Analysis of data and development

of parameterizations relevant to

global climate change.

The ARM Program provides the

stimulus for a wide range of climaterelated studies. The ARM Programs

ocean monitoring sub-program is

developing instrumentation and a

broad ship- and buoy-based observational network in the tropical western

Pacific Ocean. The Atmospheric

Chemistry Program (ACP) addresses

the Atmospheric Chemistry Division's

(ACD) concern with aerosol sources,

transport, and fate in the global atmosphere and the overall, and little understood, impact of aerosols on global climate dynamics. The ARM Programs

External Data Center is the center for

collection, archival, and dissemination

of all climate-related data sets for the

ARM Program.

An exciting new effort in radar meteorology focuses on algorithms for cloud

detection and cloud mapping using both

the WSR-88D radar network and a

research radar. BNL is a site in the

NASA Solar Irradiance Network and

continuous short wave absorption

measurements are made here. In a related NASA study, oceanic aerosol optical

depths are measured and used to validate absorption algorithms in the

SeaWiFS ocean color program.

The Optical Remote Sensing group

within the Department of Advanced

Technology (DAT) is presently modifying one of its Raman lidar systems

for vertical profiling of carbon dioxide.

The Raman lidar instrument is a selfcalibrating sensor which means that

data from a variety of locations in the

world can be compared. With the

incorporation of a large (1.25 m)

antenna and advanced filters and

detectors, a vertical profile of CO2 concentration with a precision of 1 part per

million (ppm) (Note: atmospheric

mean = 370 ppm) and maximum

height of two to three km can be produced routinely. These profiles will

support model development and validation. Importantly, comparison of

CO2 concentrations collected throughout the world and over time will prove

invaluable in confirming adherence to

the Kyoto protocols.

HANFORD SITE

Beginning in 1944, meteorological

services have been provided to the

Richland Operations Office and the

Hanford Site. The Hanford Site is an

area of 560 square miles within the

semi-arid and sparsely vegetated

Columbia River basin in southeastern
160 DOE SECTION 3

Washington near Richland,

Washington. Since 1965, the Pacific

Northwest National Laboratory

(PNNL) operated for DOE by the

Battelle Memorial Institute, has managed the Hanford Site meteorological

program. Not only has operational support been provided, but also supporting

research into atmospheric processes

has been a key part of the PNNL support to DOE. Within PNNL, the

Environmental Technology Directorate

provides day-to-day operational meteorological and emergency response

support to the Hanford site. The

Fundamental Sciences Directorate

conducts research into meteorological,

climatological, and atmospheric chemical processes in support of other major

DOE programs such as the ARM

Program and the Atmospheric Science

Program (ASP).

PNNL plays both management and

developmental roles in the ARM

Program which is focused on the

development of cloud and radiation

databases and data products that are

critical to improved understanding of

global and regional climate change and

the improvement of climate research

and prediction models. PNNL conducts research into the processes

affecting radiation transfer through the

atmosphere and the effects of greenhouse gases, aerosols, and clouds on

regional and global climate. In addition, carbon dioxide emissions

research is aimed at providing a scientific basis for forecasting future emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases

of radiative importance. The PNNL

Atmospheric Remote Sensing

Laboratory is a portable system for

studying the vertical structure of

atmospheric constituents, particularly

clouds, which govern radiation transfer

through the atmosphere.

In support of the ASP, PNNL uses

ground-based and airborne measurements systems, numerical and conceptual modeling, and data analysis to

conduct research into the vertical

transport and mixing processes that

govern the distribution in the lower

troposphere of trace gases and aerosols

released during energy production or

use and on chemical processes that

govern the transformation and fate of

gaseous and particulate pollutants.

PNNL manages the DOE Research

Aircraft Facility, a Gulf Stream

159 twin turboprop aircraft that supports research in atmospheric chemistry, radiation transfer, and aerosol

characteristics for DOE.

Through funding from DOE EM, the

PNNL Meteorological and Climatological Services Project (MCSP) provide meteorological monitoring and

operational support to the Hanford

Site. The monitoring system consists

of an array of 26 10-meter towers,

three 60-meter towers and one

125-meter tower instrumented with

temperature, wind direction and wind

speed sensors. Atmospheric pressure

and precipitation data are also collected by this monitoring system.

Meteorological data from this network

is transmitted via UHF radio to a computer, which decodes the data and plots

graphics products for immediate display and use by Hanford

Meteorological Station personnel.

Meteorological services include

emergency response functions, weather forecasting for on-site operations

and special projects, and climatological support. MCSP support to the

Hanford site includes:

 Extensive data acquisition via a

site-wide meteorological monitoring network;

 Weather forecasting services

24-hours/day, Monday through

Friday;

 Weather forecasting services eighthours/day on weekends and holidays;

 Hourly surface and six-hourly synoptic observations;

 Monthly and annual climatological

data summaries; and,

 Meteorological input to annual

environmental reports.

PNNL atmospheric sciences staff

operates meteorological, atmospheric

transport and dispersion and dose

assessment, and information display

workstations at the Hanford Site's

Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

The atmospheric sciences staff is

involved in facility planning, exercise

development, and training activities

for Hanford's emergency preparedness

program. Assistance is also provided

to state and local emergency operations facilities. PNNL staff members

have developed MetView software to

graphically display Hanford Site and

regional meteorological data to support

a variety of emergency preparedness

and research applications. Staff members have also developed the Air

Pollutant Graphical Environmental

Monitoring System (APGEMS)-family of software products to improve the

ability to rapidly and accurately estimate the atmospheric transport and

dispersion and human health and environmental consequences of accidental

or unexpected releases on or near the

Hanford Site. The flexible user interface and graphical output capabilities

of APGEMS allow it to efficiently supFigure 3-DOE-2. Meteorological

towers record temperature and wind

direction and speed at various levels.
port a range of users including first

responders, experienced hazard assessors, and decision makers.

A hierarchy of atmospheric dispersion models is being developed within

DOE's Chemical Biological National

Security Program (CBNP) covering

transport distances ranging from

between individual buildings, through

the urban area and beyond the urban

area into the surrounding region.

These models will allow individuals in

intelligence, law enforcement and

emergency management to adequately

plan for, train for and respond to potential terrorist attacks. PNNL scientists,

in collaboration with other government

and private scientists, are conducting

atmospheric tracer and meteorological

field studies for evaluating the models

being developed within CBNP. The

field studies will provide valuable

information for investigating urban

dispersion, urban air quality and

atmospheric transport and dispersion

in general.

IDAHO NATIONAL ENGINEERING

AND ENVIRONMENTA L

LABORATORY (INEEL)

INEEL is managed by the Idaho

Operations Office and is on 890 square

miles of rolling, arid terrain in southeastern Idaho at the foot of the Lost

River and Lemhi mountain ranges.

The primary mission of the INEEL for

years has been nuclear reactor research

with a focus on cleanup and environmental restoration. Meteorological

services and supporting research are

provided to INEEL via NOAA ARL

Field Research Division (FRD).

ARL/FRD, under administration from

various agencies, has provided support

to INEEL for over 50 years. Its current

mission to DOE (Idaho) (DOE/ID) is

to support emergency response and

operations with real-time meteorological data, climatological data, weather

predictions, dispersion calculations,

and consultation. ARL/FRD maintains

other capabilities that are not funded

directly by DOE. ARL/FRD designs,

arranges, and conducts field studies as

needed to evaluate the performance of

transport and dispersion models over

local, regional, and continental scales,

and to obtain high quality databases for

model improvement. An airborne geosciences program is also maintained to

measure fluxes of carbon dioxide,

water vapor, and other atmospheric

constituents that affect climate. These

interactions provide ARL FRD staff

with additional insights that aid in the

understanding of local meteorological

phenomena.

ARL/FRD operates a large meteorological monitoring network to characterize the meteorology and climatology

of the INEEL site. The network consists of 33 meteorological towers that

are deployed both on-site and off-site.

The overall meteorological measurement program is designed to provide

representative data for the INEEL to

meet specific operational and potential

emergency response situations. The

network covers an area of approximately 15,000 square miles. Many of

the towers are 15 meters tall and provide wind speed and direction at

15-meters and air temperature at

2-meters and 15-meters. Instrumentation on 15 of the 15-meter towers also

measure relative humidity at 2-meters,

precipitation, and global solar radiation. Barometric pressure is provided

on 11 of the towers. The other three

towers range from 46-meters to

76-meters in height and are instrumented at multiple levels. The sensors

at all stations are scanned every second

and averaged or totaled over five minutes (Figure 3-DOE-2).

The data are subsequently retrieved

into the data display and archive system at the ARL/FRD office through a

radio repeater located at an elevation

of 8,930 ft MSL. Continuous wind and

temperature profiles are obtained from

a 915 MHz radar wind profiler and

RASS. A Doppler SODAR supplements the wind profile at lower levels

with higher resolution data.

Meteorological data are quality-controlled through automated and manual

processes.

INEEL meteorological monitoring

and emergency response efforts are

enhanced with the use of an ARL FRD

meteorological data display and visualization program known as INEELViz.

This program has been widely

deployed at 50 sites on and around the

INEEL for access by federal, state, and

Indian tribes via the Internet.

Within INEELViz, meteorological

data are displayed in real-time and

overlaid on maps of the local area that

include political and terrain features.

In addition, the local MDIFF puff dispersion model can be accessed through

the INEELViz front-end and the model

output can be displayed as trajectories

or concentration isopleths on the

INEELViz display screen. The incorporation of RSAC dose conversions

permits the user to also view real-time

dose estimates from the model output.

These features have become very useful enhancements to the INEEL emergency response capability.

Partnerships forged with DOE/ID,

the State of Idaho INEEL Oversight

Program, and the Shoshone-Bannock

Indian Tribes have resulted in additional methods of meteorological data dissemination. Meteorological and background nuclear radiation data from

four public access sites on and surrounding the INEEL are displayed at

nearby kiosks in real-time. Additional

information on nuclear radiation and

meteorological tutorials are presented

at the kiosks. The data are also available on the Internet at

http://oversite.inel.gov. ARL/FRD

maintains its own web site at

www.noaa.inel.gov.

SECTION 3 DOE 161
162 DOE SECTION 3

LAWRENCE LIVERMORE

NATIONAL LABORATORY

(LLNL)

LLNL is located in a valley in

California's Coast Range Mountains

about 25 miles east of Oakland. LLNL

covers approximately 2 square miles

and is operated by the University of

California for the DOE Oakland

Operations Office. Two groups are

involved in the atmospheric sciences at

LLNL: the Environmental Protection

Department (EPD) and the

Atmospheric Sciences Division

(ASD).

EPD operates a 40m tower and supplies meteorological data for facility

operations, regulatory compliance, and

emergency response. Real-time and

historical data are available at

http://www-metdat.llnl.gov/.

The ASD (http://asd.llnl.gov/) of the

LLNL Energy and Environmental

Sciences Directorate researches the

following issues:

 Transport, diffusion, deposition,

transformation, and atmospheric

effects of accidental releases or pollutants;

 Models for improved representation of atmospheric processes on

building, urban, regional, and global scales;

 Uptake and removal of carbon dioxide emitted through fossil fuel combustion by the biosphere and oceans

so that the effects of future emissions may be accurately predicted;

 The role of pollutants from fossil

fuel emissions in determining

greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations and climate forcing;

 The extent to which stratospheric

ozone may decrease as a result of

anthropogenic emissions;

 The natural variability of the climate system; and,

 Interactions between the biosphere

and climate.

ASD functional groups include:

 Atmospheric Chemistry and

Aerosols (AC&A);

 Climate and Carbon Cycle

Modeling (CCCM);

 Program for Climate Model

Diagnosis and Intercomparison

(PCMDI);

 National Atmospheric Release

Advisory Center (NARAC);

 Regional Modeling and Dispersion;

and,

 Urban Modeling and Dispersion.

The mission of AC&A Group is to

improve the scientific understanding of

the mechanisms of global environmental

and climate change through the development and diagnosis of state-of-the-art

models that represent key processes

affecting the chemistry and microphysics

of the atmosphere. We pursue this mission

for the purpose of improving national

energy and security policies that impact

climate and environmental change.

The CCCM Group mission is to

improve the scientific understanding of

the mechanisms of global environmental and climate change through the

development and diagnosis of state-ofthe-art models that represent key

processes affecting the atmosphere,

oceans and biosphere. CCCM Group

pursues this mission for the purpose of

improving national energy and security policies that impact climate and

environmental change (http://enenv.llnl.gov/cccm/).

PCMDI develops and distributes

software tools to facilitate model diagnosis and inter-comparison, documents

the features of models that are in use

by the world climate community, and

archives extensive collections of

model output data (http://wwwpcmdi.llnl.gov/). The Program also

provides quality global observational

products for application as model validation data.

One of the shared goals of the last

three groups is to develop new tools

useful to emergency response operations, a key focus area at LLNL since

the mid 1970's.

The NARAC is a centralized emergency response resource supporting

federal agencies (http://narac.llnl.gov/).

Figure 3-DOE-3. Each of DOEs eight Regional Coordinating Offices maintain a 24-hour response capability for radiological emergencies that may occur

in states served by its region.
SECTION 3 DOE 163

The mission of NARAC is to deliver

realistic real-time graphical dose and

exposure assessments to emergency

decision-makers to assist in the protection of populations at risk for releases

of radiological and other hazardous

material to the atmosphere. NARAC

has developed specific tools to assist

elements of the DOE Consequence

Management assets, including the

Nuclear Emergency Search Team

(NEST), Accident Response Group

(ARG), Federal Radiological

Monitoring and Assessment Center

(FRMAC) (http://www.nv.doe.gov/programs/frmac/default.htm), and the

Radiological Assistance Program

(RAP) (Figure 3-DOE-3). Under DOE

direction, NARAC supports National

Special Security Events, such as the

Winter 2002 Olympics. NARAC also

supports DOE sites and Emergency

Operations Centers around the US

(http://www.nnsa.doe.gov/).

NARAC's central emergency

response system consists of automated

continuous worldwide meteorological

data acquisition, detailed worldwide

terrain and geographic mapping databases, a suite of atmospheric dispersion models and source models to

assess explosions, fires, spills, or other

types of radiological, chemical, biological releases. The system includes a

high-resolution, terrain-following,

variable-gridded diagnostic meteorological model (ADAPT) and a prognostic model with parameterizations

for urban settings (COAMPS) coupled

with a generalized Lagrangian particle

dispersion model (LODI).

A staff of NARAC emergency

response model experts provides a

24-hour response service. To minimize

response time, NARAC has developed

and supplied over 40 federal facilities

around the US with software that performs meteorological data acquisition,

local-scale stand-alone modeling, and

reaches back to LLNL for detailed simulations. NARAC mapped products

are delivered in 5-10 minutes for a

computer-linked site and up to 60 minutes for a non-computer-linked site.

Supported sites and organizations can

use the client-server-based NARAC

iClient tool (for heavy modelers) or

NARAC Web (for light modelers)

tools to run models and seamlessly distribute products to multiple organizations over the world wide web. 

The Regional Modeling and

Dispersion Group investigates regional

scale processes affecting dispersion. This

group works with the Urban Group with

the goal of developing a seamless set of

validated diagnostic and prognostic tools

from building, to urban, to regional

scales. In collaboration with LANL,

LLNL developed a prototype prediction

capability to assist in multi-agency

smoke and fire management of wildfires.
164 DOE SECTION 3

The Urban Modeling and Dispersion

Group (http://urban.llnl.gov/) investigates urban scale processes via both

measurements and models. The

Chemical Biological Non-proliferation

Program (CBNP) within the National

Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA)

sponsored the URBAN field campaign

to study dispersion in Salt Lake City in

October 2000. URBAN was coincident

with the DOE's Vertical Transport and

Mixing Experiment (VTMX), a

region-wide meteorological and tracer

experiment (http://www.pnl.gov/vtmx/).

URBAN investigated transport and

diffusion around a single downtown

building, within and through the downtown area, and into the greater Salt

Lake City area. The results are used to

evaluate and improve atmospheric dispersion models. LLNL collaborates

with the DTRA-DOE Joint Urban

2003 experiment in Oklahoma City.

The group employs a parallelized version of the LLNL Finite Element

Model (FEM3MP) in many urban settings to create very high-resolution

Computational Fluid Dynamic simulations of flow around buildings.

Another key collaboration is with the

LLNL Indoor Building Group on

adding building infiltration effects to

emergency response modeling systems.

LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL

LABORATORY (LANL)

LANL is operated by the University

of California (UC) under the oversight

of the DOE Albuquerque Operations

Office (ALOO), and is spread across

43 square miles of the Pajarito Plateau

at the foot of the Jemez Mountains that

extend up to about 900 meters above

the plateau. LANL is about 30 miles

northwest of Santa Fe in north central

New Mexico. The Pajarito Plateau

slopes to the east-southeast, dropping

400 meters across the Laboratory, with

canyons and mesas running along the

slope of the plateau. The broad Rio

Grande Valley lies to the east of the

laboratory. Los Alamos has a semiarid, temperate, mountain climate.

The operational meteorological program at Los Alamos operates a network of six towers (ranging in height

from 23 to 92 meters), a mono-static

Doppler SODAR, and three supplemental precipitation stations. Data

from four instrumented meteorological

towers that are located on the Pajarito

plateau drives a diagnostic wind field

for the program's plume modeling

capability. A fifth tower is located in

Los Alamos Canyon to give information on the larger canyons in the area,

and a sixth tower is located on top of

Pajarito Mountain to measure ambient

conditions. The SODAR gives information on winds up to the level of the

Pajarito Mountain tower.

More than 100 instruments, consisting of over 20 different types of sensors, are used to collect data throughout the network. Variables measured

by the program can be grouped into the

categories of wind, SODAR-derived

wind, atmospheric state, precipitationrelated, radiative fluxes, eddy heat

fluxes, subsurface measurements, and

fuel moisture. Data collected by the

network are checked for quality before

archival, and raw data and real-time

displays of graphs and tables are made

available via the Internet.

The LANL Air Quality Group

(AQG) provides regulatory and environmental surveillance leadership and

services to meet LANL air quality

obligations and public assurance

needs. The group develops and implements programs to ensure and address

institutional compliance with State and

Federal laws related to air quality regulations, DOE orders for emergency

management, air quality surveillance,

dose assessment activities, and community concerns related to air quality

issues. The group takes a proactive

approach to managing air emissions by

providing continuous air monitoring

and measurement of external penetrating radiation on-site and off-site. The

group also coordinates LANL activities to ensure full compliance with air

emission regulations, providing monitoring and modeling for emergency

response, and assisting operating

groups in developing and implementing new methods and systems to

reduce emissions to as low a level as

reasonably achievable. The monitoring capabilities of the LANL AQG are

supplemented by the Atmospheric and

Climate Sciences Group (ACSG) field

team, which operates various sensor

systems including a unique Raman

lidar system to obtain images of atmospheric water vapor distributions.

Research within the LANL ACSG

supports DOE missions in both the

defense and civilian sectors, such as

work in the propagation of very-lowfrequency sound ("infra-sound")

waves. Modeling studies contributed

to the understanding of propagation

and, in particular, sources of "infrasound". Just as it is possible to infer

earthquake epicenters from seismic

wave observations, "infra-sound"

sources can be inferred from atmospheric observations. This work is an

important component of monitoring

compliance with the proposed

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

(CTBT). The CTBT work involves a

number of organizations within the

DOE and DOD communities, including interactions with other DOE laboratories within the CTBT Research and

Development program.

Operational issues involve close

work with the Air Force Technical

Applications Center (AFTAC) at

Patrick AFB, Florida, the DOD

organization that handles monitoring

systems. In addition, several active

international collaborations with

other infrasound researchers are

ongoing.
SECTION 3 DOE 165

The Meteorology Team within the

LANL ACSG conducts analysis and

modeling on microscale to mesoscale

atmospheric flows and phenomena. In

support of the DOE CBNP, a model for

High Resolution and Strong Gradient

(HIGRAD) applications is being used

to study the effects of radiative heating

and shading around groups of buildings. The objective of this study is to

determine how these processes may

influence the transport of agents within the urban environment. On larger

scales, the team is examining the influence of flow merger and urban roughness on the vertical transport and mixing of pollutants with the Regional

Atmospheric Modeling System

(RAMS) for several western U.S. valleys and basins. This project is in support of the DOE Environmental

Meteorology Program (EMP) and for

the EPA. As part of the LANL initiative in Coupled Environmental

Modeling, researchers within the

Meteorology Team are developing a

physics-based fire behavior model,

FIRETEC, and coupling this model to

the HIGRAD atmospheric dynamics

code to examine the details of the

interaction between local winds and

the intense heat generated by wildfires.

Also as part of this initiative, a land

surface model is being coupled that

includes hydrologic processes (i.e.,

SPLASH) to the RAMS mesoscale

model for multi-seasonal simulations

of the water resources of the upper Rio

Grande Basin.

LANL ACSG meteorology team

members are also working on the

LANL Urban Security project,

which is linking physical and urban

growth models to address the needs

of cities. In this framework, they

are using the RAMS model to provide meteorological fields for use

by air chemistry, urban runoff, and

other models. The LANL ACSG

meteorology team conducts analysis

and modeling on microscale to

mesoscale.

On global scales, research within the

LANL meteorological community

involves the study of climate change

and variability. A major project is the

development of a global coupled

ocean-atmosphere model sponsored by

the DOE Climate Change Prediction

Program. The global model being

developed consists of a Los Alamos

global ocean Global Climate Models

(GCMs) Parallel Ocean Program

(POP), the Los Alamos sea-ice model

(CICE), the National Center for

Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Community Climate Model 3 (CCM3),

and a "flux coupler" to link the media

consistently. The two GCM's and the

CICE model exchange heat, momentum, and water mass across the air-sea

boundary. A ten-year synchronized

simulation revealed synoptic weather

events, seasonal cycles and inter-annual variations.

Observations related to understanding global climate are the focus of the

Tropical Western Pacific (TWP)

Program Office at LANL, an element

of the DOE ARM Program. The TWP

Program Office is responsible for the

development and operation of the

TWP CART locale, a large expanse of

tropical-ocean and maritime-continent

lying roughly between 10o

S and 10oN

latitude and from 135o

E to 150oW longitude. The maritime continent area is

largely in the southwest and the open

ocean area in the northeast of the

locale. The local climate is characterized by warm sea surface temperatures, deep and frequent atmospheric

convection, high rain rates, strong coupling between the atmosphere and

ocean, and substantial variability associated with El Niño Southern

Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon.

Scientific questions that need to be

addressed by the TWP Program Office

can be grouped under three main headings:

 Radiation budget and cloud forcing;

 Water and energy budgets; and

 Ocean-atmosphere interactions.

The TWP Program Office supports a

variety of operations at LANL. The

primary client of the program is the

Emergency Management Group, for

which the program provides a plume

modeling capability. Other clients use

the program's data for such activities as

operations and planning, hazard and

accident analyses, environmental studies, support for experiments, compliance, and documentation.

NEVADA TEST SITE (NTS)

The NTS is managed and operated

by the National Nuclear Security

Administration/Nevada Site Office

(NNSA/NSO). The NTS has been the

Nations' underground nuclear weapons

testing facility and is now used to support sub-critical experiments and other

national defense missions of the

United States. The NTS occupies

1,350 square miles of south central NV

and is approximately 75 miles northwest of Las Vegas, NV. The topography of the NTS is complex with a system of dry lakebeds and mountains.

Elevations range from nearly

2,700 feet (ft) above mean sea level

(MSL) to 7,600 ft MSL. The climate is

arid.

Meteorological services are provided

to NNSA/NSO by components of the

Department of Commerces (DOC)

NOAA. The DOC has had a presence

on the NTS for more than 45 years

through various interagency agreements. During this time, NOAA personnel have built a solid technical reputation in meteorological operations

and emergency response. Presently,

NOAA support is provided by

ARL/SORD, recognized for its expert-
166 DOE SECTION 3

ise in the transport, dispersion, and

deposition of radioactive and toxic

materials. ARL/SORD has developed

a rapid emergency response capability

for the unlikely occurrence of an accidental release of radioactive or hazardous material into the atmosphere.

Both basic and applied research is

carried out on problems of mutual

interest to DOE and to NOAA.

Emphasis is on the maintenance of

meteorological support to national

defense projects and to the stewardship

of nuclear weapons. These capabilities

focus on those facets of meteorology

having a direct bearing on the transport, dispersion, deposition (i.e., fallout), and resuspension of radioactive

and/or toxic materials. Other research

includes documentation and study of

extreme precipitation events, desert

thunderstorms, cloud-to-ground lightning, and environmental issues related

to air quality and visibility.

ARL/SORD provides full meteorological support to all NNSA/NSO

operations on and off the NTS.

Meteorology plays a key role in the

environmental, safety, and health

responsibilities of NNSA/NSO. The

ARL/SORD staff supports both

nuclear and non-nuclear projects

authorized by NNSA/NSO.

Furthermore, the mission of

ARL/SORD involves technical support to the emergency preparedness

and response activities of NNSA/NSO.

ARL/SORD operates a comprehensive

meteorological monitoring program

for the NTS, and provides meteorological and climatology services required

in supporting the NNSA/NSO and contractor programs at the NTS and elsewhere, as necessary. 

Personnel at ARL/SORD also consult with senior scientists and engineers at the DOE National

Laboratories, NASA, private contractors, Desert Research Institute (DRI),

United States Geological Service

(USGS), United States Forest Service

(USFS), and other NOAA laboratories.

ARL/SORD operates and maintains

a large meteorological monitoring network to characterize the meteorology

and climatology of the NTS. This network consists of 29 10-meter towers

and two 30-meter towers. Wind direction and speed is measured at the

10-meter level on all the towers and

temperature and relative humidity is

sampled at the 2-meter level. Data

from these towers are transmitted via

microwave radio to a central processor

that checks the data, creates data files,

and archives the data every 15 minutes.

The data files are accessed by microcomputer to create graphics products

for operational use and for immediate

display at 15-minute intervals.

ARL/SORD also operates two,

915MHz vertical profilers on the NTS.

One profiler is located in the middle of

Yucca Flat and the other profiler is

located at the Hazardous Materials

Spill Center (HMSC) in Frenchman

Flat near Mercury, Nevada. In addition, a NOAA full surface radiation

(SURFRAD) budget station is operated and maintained at the Desert Rock

Meteorological Observatory (DRA)

located in the southern part of the NTS.

Upper-air soundings are taken twice

daily, at 00 and 12 Universal Time

Coordinated (UTC) from the DRA

facility. ARL/SORD also operates

mobile upper-air sounding systems and

mobile pilot balloon (PIBAL) equipment to support special projects requiring winds aloft data in real-time.

Large-scale meteorological data and

NCEP weather forecast products are

received via AWIPS, or from the

University Center for Atmospheric

Research (UCAR) and ARL-Silver

Spring, MD. Weather products supplied to DOE contractors, the National

Laboratories (e.g., SNL, LANL, and

LLNL), the NWS, and Nellis AFB,

include real-time cloud-to-ground

lightning flash graphical products and

local forecast products. ARL/SORD

has also implemented the RAMS

model for the NTS and Southern

Nevada. This model predicts boundary

layer airflow over complex terrain.

The RAMS code accesses the NCEP

predictive model outputs and is run at

the University of Nevada at Las Vegas

(UNLV) Supercomputer Center on a

daily basis.

ARL/SORD provides meteorological monitoring support and projectspecific weather forecast services to

NEST, FRMAC and ARG activities.

Monitoring support includes surface

and upper-air data collection and

analysis. Weather forecast service

entails maintaining a constant weather

watch for conditions that might impact

NEST, FRMAC, or ARG operations

and personnel, issuing site-specific

mesoscale wind, stability, and weather

forecasts, aviation weather support,

and providing consultation to the OnScene Commander (OSC) and to

National Laboratories personnel.

ARL/SORD maintains a web site

(www.sord.nv.doe.gov) that includes

graphical products that display current

meteorological conditions on and

around the NTS, including data from

ARL/SORD vertical profilers, climatological data, cloud-to-ground lightning information and time-relevant

plume transport and dispersion calculations.

OAK RIDGE RESERVATION (ORR)

The ORR is home to four DOE sites:

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

(ORNL), the Y-12 Plant, the East

Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP,

formerly K-25 Site), and the Oak

Ridge Institute for Science and

Education (ORISE). Managed by the

Oak Ridge Operations Office

(OROO), the ORR encompasses nearly 100 square miles of hilly and heavi-
SECTION 3 DOE 167

ly vegetated terrain in eastern

Tennessee.

Meteorological network systems,

which support day-to-day operations,

are managed and operated at the three

main sites by the University of

Tennessee (UT)/Battelle, BWXT Y-12

and Bechtel Jacobs Company. These

network systems provide data that support environmental management (permitting, facility siting and environmental impact assessment), facility

safety (safety analyses), emergency

management (hazards and consequence assessment), operations (work

planning) and substantial research.

The meteorological data acquisition

program at ETTP has two main towers.

K-1209 is 60 meters high while

K-1208 is 30 meters in height. In addition, two 10-meter supplemental towers are still operating. Lastly, WSR88D data and The Weather Channel

(TWC) are available to each of the

control rooms and emergency response

facilities.

The Y-12 Plant has two meteorological towers (i.e., 100- and 60-meter)

located at the east and west ends of the

site, respectively, and a Remtech sodar

reporting vertical profile data from

50 meters to 500 meters. ETTP and

Y-12 Plant meteorological data is fed

into the ORR Emergency Operations

Center (EOC) and at emergency control centers for hazard assessment,

consequence assessment, and protective action recommendations.

The data acquisition program at the

ORNL consists of three (two 30-meter

and one 100-meter) meteorological

towers. Meteorological data is fed to

an ORNL central computer system for

analysis and dissemination.

NOAA Air Resources Laboratory/

Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion

Division (ARL/ATDD) is located in

Oak Ridge near the ORR. The primary

mission of ARL/ATDD is atmospheric

research. Substantial research programs at ARL/ATDD are undertaken

with the assistance of staff from

ORISE/Oak Ridge Associated

Universities (ORAU) and scientists

from other national laboratories and

organizations in the United States and

abroad. ARL/ATDD also works closely with the ORAU to enhance educational opportunities in atmospheric science.

ARL/ATDD research attention is

focused on the physics of the lower

atmosphere, with special emphasis on

the processes contributing to atmospheric transport, dispersion, air-surface

exchange, and on the development and

improvement of predictive capabilities

using the results of this research.

Many other projects are underway

such as surface energy balance, CO2

exchange studies and long-term studies

of CO2 exchange aimed at processlevel understanding.

Operationally, ARL/ATDD personnel provide meteorological consultation and supplemental data for air quality analyses, environmental reports,

and hazard and consequence assessments. Local climatology data are routinely collected and distributed. Under

NOAA funding, ARL/ATDD operates

a regional network of 15 towers ranging from the Cumberland Mountains

(middle Tennessee) to the Smoky

Mountains on Tennessee's eastern border. Wind, temperature, and precipitation data are recovered every 15 minutes by telemetry and made available

to users.

ARL/ATDD incorporates NWS forecast products into the high-resolution,

regional, meteorological model (i.e.,

RAMS) to produce twice daily

12-hour, 24-hour, and 36-hour predictions of surface winds for eastern

Tennessee, and transport trajectory

predictions for the ORR.

PANTEX PLANT

The Pantex Plant covers 15,977 acres

and is located 17 miles northeast of

Amarillo, Texas, in Carson County.

The Plant was a World War II munitions factory and was converted to a

nuclear weapons assembly facility in

1951. Today, it is the nation's only

assembly/disassembly facility supporting the nuclear weapons arsenal.

Pantex Plant is a government-owned,

contractor-operated facility. DOE

oversees operation of Pantex Plant

through the Amarillo Area Office

(AAO), which reports to the

Albuquerque Operations Office.

Mason and Hanger Corporation had

been the operating contractor since

1956. On February 1, 2001, BWXT

Pantex assumed the Pantex contract. 

The Plant is composed of several

functional areas, commonly referred

to as numbered zones. These include

a weapons assembly/disassembly

area, a weapons staging area, an area

for development of experimental

explosives, a drinking water treatment

facility, a sanitary wastewater treatment facility, and vehicle maintenance and administrative areas. Other

functional areas include a utility area

for steam and compressed air, an

explosive test-firing facility, a burning ground for thermally treating

explosive materials, and landfills.

Overall, there are more than 700

buildings at the Pantex Plant.
168 DOE SECTION 3

The Environmental Protection/

Restoration Department (EP/RD) of

the Environment, Safety and Health

Directorate is tasked with the quality

assurance program for the meteorological data captured by the one on-site

two-level tower located in the northeast corner of the Plant site. The data

from this tower (i.e., taken at 10- and

60-meters) are collected and used by

the DOE NARAC site workstation,

located in the Plant EOC. These data

are collected and archived as 15-

minute averages plus maximum and

minimum values for each 15-minute

period. They are primarily used for

input to the NARAC emergency

response models that could be used for

off-normal events involving radionuclides. Annual dispersion model calculations of off-site radiation doses

from on site sources, required by 40

CFR 61, Subpart H, National Emission

Standards for Hazardous Air

Pollutants (NESHAP), are accomplished by the EP/RD. EP/RD uses the

EPA-approved CAP88-PC atmospheric transport and dispersion model and

the Pantex meteorological tower data

processed into the STAR format. This

department also maintains the Pantex

Plant climatology database.

Meteorological tower data is also

used by the Risk Management

Department for plume dispersion modeling applied to the Plutonium

Dispersal Consequence Analysis for

the Basis for Interim Operations (BIO)

validation and upgrade reports, other

operations directives, and other safety

analyses. 

Routine preventive maintenance on

the meteorological instruments as well

as calibration and certification are

done semi-annually by the United

States Bureau of Land Management

(BLM). The BLM maintenance depot

at Boise, Idaho, performs similar work

for the United States Forest Service's

meteorological tower instruments.

This work is done under a contract

administered by the Pantex Emergency

Management Department. The BLM

Idaho depot also handles emergency

repairs and replacement of sensors.

Temperature and wind sensors are

replaced semi-annually with calibrated

and certified sensors. The barometer is

replaced annually. During the semiannual preventive maintenance visits

all of the other meteorological instruments are replaced by the BLM technician with rebuilt/refurbished, calibrated equipment from the Idaho depot.

The maintenance check also includes

the telephone line, modem, and backup

power supply.

As a result of a FY 2000 project,

meteorological tower data is now displayed on the Pantex Plant Intranet for

use by Plant personnel. During FY

2001, the potential for replacing the

existing wind sensor on the meteorological tower with a three-dimensional

wind sensor was evaluated. In addition, replacing/upgrading the NARAC

computer and software located at the

base of the tower that feeds data into

the NARAC Site System in the EOC

was also considered.

There are no current or projected

supporting meteorological research

activities planned at the Pantex Plant.

ROCKY FLATS ENVIRONMENTAL

TECHNOLOGY SITE (RFETS)

The RFETS is managed by the

Rocky Flats Operations Office

(RFOO) and is located approximately

16 miles northwest of downtown

Denver, Colorado. One of the smaller

DOE sites, the facility occupies a 10

square mile area along the foothills of

the Rocky Mountain Front Range.

A 61-meter meteorological tower at

the west-end of the site continuously

monitors meteorological conditions at

surface, 10-, 25-, and 60-meters above

ground level. The data are analyzed,

quality assured, and assembled into

data sets for use in atmospheric modeling, climatology, and other analyses at

the site. Data from the 61-meter and

additional 10-meter towers are transmitted back to the main site every

15 minutes by telemetry for use in

emergency response modeling. The

Regional Atmospheric Response

Center (RARC) conducts meteorological activities associated with emergency preparedness and response at the

site. An upper air remote sensing

Sound Detection and Ranging/Radio

Acoustic Sounding (SODAR/RASS)

System continuously monitors winds,

temperatures, and atmospheric stability above RFETS.

Through a cooperative agreement

with the Colorado Department of

Public Health and Environment

(CDPHE), meteorological data are

transmitted to the site from five surface

meteorological stations by telemetry

that form a ring around the site perimeter. Another cooperative agreement

with NOAA provides near real-time

data from multiple monitoring sites

throughout the Denver metropolitan

area. These data are all received, quality assured, and combined into a threedimensional observation set for emergency response modeling every

15 minutes, 24 hours per day.

The RARC provides 24-hour consequence assessment support for any

unplanned radiological or chemical

releases from the site. The RARC

responds with customized weather

forecasts, plume projections, and dose

modeling results that lead to event

classifications and protective actions

for on-site and off-site populations.

RARC also conducts specialized consequence assessments in support of

emergency preparedness, hazard

assessments, and risk assessments for

RFETS. Weather forecasts are provided for severe weather events, such as

winter storms, windstorms, and severe

thunderstorms.

A customized modeling system has

been developed and implemented at
SECTION 3 DOE 169

RFETS to predict the path and impacts

from any radiological emergency at the

site. Called the Computer-Assisted

Protective Action Recommendation

System (CAPARS), the new capability

addresses the need for fast, accurate

plume predictions in a complex atmosphere.

CAPARS provides a variety of

plume, weather, hazard, and related

products with the accuracy and speed

needed for response to an emergency

at RFETS. Eleven integrated major

subsystems form the overall CAPARS

capability.

The State of Colorado has formally

accepted the CAPARS modeling system for emergency response and planning applications at RFETS. A specialized planning version of the

CAPARS system has been developed,

implemented, and applied for emergency planning at the RFETS. Called

the TRAC Risk Assessment/Hazards

Assessment Model, the capability is

designed to support hazards and risk

assessments for RFETS and to form

the basis for an evaluation of the size

and shape of the Emergency Planning

Zone (EPZ) surrounding RFETS.

SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORY

(SNL)

The DOE Kirtland Area Office manages SNL in Albuquerque, New

Mexico, located between the Rio

Grande Valley and Manzano

Mountains. SNL covers approximately 80 square miles of flat to mountainous arid terrain. Meteorological

Programs at SNL include both support

and research activities.

Meteorological services and support

are provided through the EOC in the

Laboratory Services Division. The

mission is to provide meteorological

support for various operations including:

 Emergency response;

 Environmental surveillance and

characterization; and,

 Regulatory compliance.

The monitoring network consists of

six 10-meter and two 60-meter towers

used to measure wind direction and

speed, ambient temperature, and relative humidity. There are also three precipitation gauges, two barometric pressure sensors, and one solar radiation

pyranometer in the network.

Key research activities are provided

through the Energy and Critical

Infrastructure Center in the Energy,

Information, and Technology Division.

SNL scientists are involved in the

ARM program and the Surface Heat

Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA).

The ARM project is a combined measurement and modeling program. The

goal is to gain a better understanding

of clouds and their effect on atmospheric radiation, with the final goal of

developing better climate models. The

SHEBA program addresses the interaction of the surface energy balance,

atmospheric radiation and clouds over

the Arctic Ocean.

SAVANNAH RIVER SITE (SRS)

The SRS is under the responsibility

of the Savannah River Operations

Office and operated by the

Westinghouse Savannah River

Company (WSRC). SRS is located in

southwestern South Carolina, along

the banks of the Savannah River. The

SRS covers an area of approximately

300 square miles. It is heavily vegetated with evergreen trees and contains

many streams, a swamp, and a 2,700-

acre reservoir built as a cooling pond

for the plant reactors. The topography

of SRS is characterized by gently

rolling forested hills with an adjacent

flood plain near the Savannah River.

The climate at SRS is typical of the

southeastern United States with long,

hot and humid summers and short,

mild winters.

The Atmospheric Technologies

Group (ATG) of the Savannah River

Technology Center (SRTC) developed

the SRS meteorological monitoring

and modeling program in the early

1970's. This program supports SRS

operations in the areas of emergency

response consequence assessment,

radiological and non-radiological air

quality calculations for regulatory

compliance, safety analyses, environmental impacts, engineering studies,

environmental research and non-proliferation activities.

Meteorological activities include

daily weather forecasting services in

support of operations at SRS, with

particular emphasis on severe weather

impacts. Local meteorological data

are obtained from a network of eight

200-foot meteorological observing

towers located near the major production sites. The instrumentation on

these towers includes sensitive bidirectional vanes (i.e., bivanes), cup

anemometers, resistance thermometers and lithium chloride humidity

sensors. Additional meteorological

instrumentation is located at the

Central Climatology Facility located

near the geographical center of the

site to measure precipitation, evaporation, barometric pressure, soil temperature, solar and long wave radiation.

The Central Climatology Facility

includes a 200-foot tower instrumented at four levels. A network of twelve

additional rain gauges (that are read

daily) is located within SRS.

Additional local upper-air data are

collected from three acoustic Doppler

radars, an airsonde system, and a tethersonde system. Portable towers are

used for case studies.

A collaborative agreement with surrounding counties involves assisting

them to install and operate several

local meteorological towers at nearby

chemical plants. Data from these

towers are being integrated into the

SRS meteorological archiving and

display system, the Weather

Information and Display System

(WINDS).
170 DOE SECTION 3

The WINDS is the primary consequence assessment system for atmospheric and

hydrologic releases from SRS operations. A suite of atmospheric models

linked to real-time site-wide atmospheric monitoring equipment provides

transport, dispersion and consequence

calculations for emergency response.

The WINDS underwent a complete

re-engineering to improve the computer system reliability, performance and

serviceability. The re-engineering

involved distributing the data processing and utilizing new data acquisition

hardware and relational database software. New workstation clustering for

data management and PC/NT user

workstations for local model operation

and graphical user interfacing for displays were added.

An advanced non-hydrostatic, threedimensional, prognostic atmospheric

model is run twice daily on the SRTC's

CRAY computers for two separate

domains:

 The Central Savannah River Area

(CSRA) (AT kilometer grid resolution); and,

 The area encompassing South

Carolina, and Georgia (i.e., 20-kilometer resolution).

The CSRA model provides forecasts

with a minimum of six-hours useable

forecast fields. The Georgia-South

Carolina model run provides forecasts

with a minimum of 24-hours useable

forecast fields. These forecast fields

are integrated into the WINDS consequence assessment models. Additional

model runs are conducted on an

expanded domain to include the entire

southeastern United States on an ad

hoc basis when the SRS is threatened

by hurricanes.

An aqueous model is also resident on

WINDS and linked to real-time stream

flow monitors operated by the USGS.

This model enables

consequence assessments

for emergency response to site streams

and the Savannah River.

Regional, national, and international

meteorological data are received from

a commercial weather data provider

via satellite in real-time. Weather

workstations provide surface and

upper observations, analyzed and forecast weather parameter fields from the

NWS and the European Modeling

Center (EMC). These data are input

into an advanced, three dimensional,

prognostic, atmospheric modeling system for applications locally in the

southeastern United States and globally. Satellite and Doppler radar data are

also available in near real-time.

WASTE ISOLATION PILOT PLANT

(WIPP)

The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

(WIPP) is operated by Westinghouse

TRU Solutions for the DOE Carlsbad

Area Office. A cornerstone of the

DOE national clean-up strategy, the

WIPP is designed to permanently dispose of transuranic radioactive waste

generated by defense-related activities

in the Salado salt formation 2,150 feet

beneath the surface. WIPP is located

in Eddy County in southeastern New

Mexico, 26 miles east of Carlsbad, and

occupies 16 square miles of a region

know as Los Medanos. Geographically, the region is regarded as a relatively flat, sparsely inhabited plateau

with little surface water.

The WIPP Environmental Monitoring Section (EMS) performs meteorological monitoring as part of the Nonradiological Environmental

Monitoring Program. The primary

meteorological station provides measurement of wind direction and speed,

temperature at 2-, 10-, and 50-meters,

as well as ground level measurements

of barometric pressure, relative humidity, precipitation, and solar radiation.

The main function of the station is to

generate data for operational support,

emergency response and regulatory

dispersion modeling applications.

Parameters are monitored continuously and the data are stored in the Central

Monitoring System, a computerized

system including automated parameter

checks, real- time displays in the

Central Monitoring Room, and data

archiving. Meteorological data are

compiled and distributed to stakeholders, including the NOAA NWS, on a

monthly basis.

WIPP also, under a cooperative

agreement with the NWS, maintains a

Cooperative Weather Observing

Station at the Far Field Station. Data

from this station are compiled monthly

and the Record of Climatological

Observations form is submitted to the

Weather Forecast Office in Midland,

Texas. Under the same cooperative

agreement, the Midland office is given

access to real-time data from the primary meteorological station.

WELDON SPRINGS SITE

REMEDIAL ACTION PROJECT

(WSSRAP)

The activities associated with WSSRAP have been completed. The meteorological monitoring program that

had operated at the WSSRAP since

1994 was discontinued.

YUCCA MOUNTAIN PROJECT

(YMP)

As part of the DOE Office of

Civilian Radioactive Waste

Management, the Yucca Mountain

Project (YMP) studies may eventually

support a recommendation of Yucca
SECTION 3 DOE 171

Mountain for the nation's first geologic repository for spent nuclear fuel and

other high level radioactive waste

(Figure 3-DOE-4). The current meteorological program within the YMP

focuses on environmental compliance

and operational health and safety considerations, for both employees and the

general public.

As with a number of DOE sites, the

Yucca Mountain area is one of complex topography and heterogeneous

surface characteristics, creating

mesoscale conditions that locally influence on-site weather. The YMP meteorological program, therefore, includes

four full stations for measuring atmospheric dispersion and general meteorological conditions, as well as nine precipitation stations. These stations

serve to monitor the significant variations in airflow, rainfall, and temperature caused by the area's complex terrain environment. The meteorological

stations are key to the thorough monitoring of these variations that is essential for the YMP ongoing commitment

to environmental compliance and to

the health and safety of employees and

the public. 

The YMP meteorological program

also provides essential data for the

studies necessary to evaluate the site's

suitability for a potential repository.

Should the site be deemed suitable and

a repository licensed, built, and operated, water would be the primary means

by which radioactive materials could

be transported to the accessible environment. Thus, movement of water

from the atmosphere to the surface and

on through the mountain is a key concern. The meteorological program

provides essential data for the infiltration model of the mountain. Data

about precipitation, humidity, evapotranspiration, surface water run-on,

solar radiation, air temperatures, and

wind patterns all contribute to the

overall infiltration model. The model

gives special emphasis to the transient,

or temporal, versus steady-state rates

of water movement through the unsaturated zone of rock at Yucca Mountain.

The temporal variation of infiltration

may be short term, due to weather fluctuations that drive episodic flow, or

much longer term, in periods corresponding to climate change. Data

from the meteorological program's

ongoing monitoring programs are supplemented by the program's paleoclimatology studies. Together, they provide essential information for the YMP

modeling of past, present, and future

infiltration rates. 

If the potential repository were actually built and operated, continuous

meteorological monitoring and analysis would also be essential for the operational facilities on the surface of the

mountain, at least until the final closure of the repository. Buildings

would be built to withstand the probable maximum flood and wind conditions, and administrative controls

would be in place to suspend operations during severe weather conditions.

An integral part of the emergency

response system would include monitoring the overall environmental situation at the repository site.

In turn, an integral part of the overall

environmental monitoring system

would be the meteorological monitoring system. This system would collect

real-time meteorological information

about the site and provide weather

forecasting and climatological data.

Such data would be essential for management decisions regarding the health

and safety conditions for employees

and the public.

DOE METEOROLOGICAL

COORDINATING COUNCIL (DMCC)

Based on a need to facilitate more

coordination and cooperation among

the meteorological activities at the

DOE field offices, the DMCC was

established in December 1994. The

mission of the DMCC, now in its ninth

year, is to coordinate meteorological

support and research to meet DOE

objectives. The objectives of the

DMCC are to:

 Promote cost-effective support for

all DOE facilities;

 Plan for future needs, requirements,

and missions;

 Advocate awareness of atmospheric science applications and benefits

to DOE; and,

 Advocate the use of common methods, procedures, and standards.

Figure 3-DOE-4. Yucca Mountain (100 miles northwest of Las Vegas,

Nevada) is unpopulated land owned by the Federal Government and adjacent

to the nation's nuclear weapons test site.
172 DOE SECTION 3

DMCC oversight is provided by a

steering committee consisting of DOE

and NNSA headquarters and field element representatives. Products of the

DMCC include evaluations of meteorological requirements contained in

DOE orders and guidance documents,

site meteorological program peer

reviews, and, as needed, customized

technical assistance. Assist Visits have

been conducted at NNSA/NSO, WIPP,

and Pantex. Two follow-up assist visits were also conducted at WIPP.

Additional assist visits are in the planning stages and will be conducted over

the next several years.

The DMCC web page has been

broadened and can be accessed at

www.sord.nv.doe.gov (Figure 3-DOE-5).

Figure 3-DOE-5. Air Resources Laboratory (ARL)/Special Operations and Research Division (SORD)

conducts basic and applied research on problems of mutual interest to National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA) and Department of Energy (DOE), that relate to the Nevada Test Site (NTS), its

atmospheric environment, and its emergency preparedness and emergency response activities.
On March 1, 2003, the Department

of Homeland Security (DHS) assumed

primary responsibility for ensuring that

emergency response professionals are

prepared for any situation in the event

of a terrorist attack, natural disaster, or

other large-scale emergency. This

entails providing a coordinated, comprehensive federal response to any

large-scale crisis and mounting a swift

and effective recovery effort. DHS

will also prioritize the important issue

of citizen preparedness, and educating

America's families on how best to prepare their homes for a disaster and tips

for citizens on how to respond in a crisis will be given special attention at

DHS.

Homeland Security Presidential

Directive #5 (HSPD 5), states that "to

prevent, prepare for, respond to, and

recover from terrorist attacks, major

disasters, and other emergencies, the

United States Government shall establish a single, comprehensive approach

to domestic incident management." It

also assigns the Secretary of the

Department of Homeland Security the

role of principal Federal official for

domestic incident management. Based

on previous Federal guidelines and

legal authorities, a number of Federal

agencies have responsibilities, depending on the scenario, and each agency

has developed or has access to sourceterm estimates, dispersion modeling,

and consequence assessment capabilities to meet their responsibilities. For

a domestic incident, these capabilities

would be coordinated by the Secretary

of the Department of Homeland

Security in cases where a Federal

response is required and authorized.

Over the coming year, the goal is to

develop an all-hazards dispersion support framework, initially based on

atmospheric dispersion modeling and

consequence assessment, to support

the DHS Secretary in his role as principal Federal official for planning,

preparing, and responding to domestic

incidents. This framework will provide tailored all-hazards dispersion

support to DHS and its Homeland

Security Operations Center (HSOC).

The primary and most urgent objective

is to provide the best available information for atmospheric hazard predictions so that DHS can make appropriate emergency response and consequence management decisions. This

effort is based on the work and recommendations of the OFCM-sponsored

Joint Action Group on the Selection

and Evaluation of Atmospheric

Transport and Dispersion Models

(JAG/SEATD) report, Atmospheric

Modeling of Releases from Weapns of

Mass Destruction: Response by

Federal Agencies in Support of

Homeland Security, August 2002, and

the National Research Council's (of the

National Academies) Board on

Atmospheric Sciences and Climate

report, Tracking and Predicting the

Atmospheric Dispersion of Hazardous

Material Releases: Implications for

Homeland Security, 2003.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

AND RESPONSE (EPR)

In March 2003, FEMA joined other

federal agencies, programs and offices

in becoming the Department of

Homeland Security. The new department brings a coordinated approach to

national security from emergencies

and disasters - both natural

and man-made. Today, FEMA is one

of four major branches of DHS. About

2,500 full-time employees in the

Emergency Preparedness

and Response (EPR) Directorate are

supplemented by more than 5,000

stand-by disaster reservists.

In carrying out its role, EPR works

with all of the agencies to assure that

the delivery of meteorology-related

information is conducted in keeping

with established goals and objectives.

As administrator of the National Flood

Insurance Program (NFIP), EPR publishes Flood Insurance Rate Maps for

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WEATHER PROGRAMS

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has three primary missions: Prevent terrorist attacks

within the United States, reduce America's vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage from

potential attacks and natural disasters. The department's first priority is to protect the nation against

further terrorist attacks. Component agencies will analyze threats and intelligence, guard our borders

and airports, protect our critical infrastructure, and coordinate the response of our nation for future

emergencies. Besides providing a better-coordinated defense of the homeland, DHS is also dedicated

to protecting the rights of American citizens and enhancing public services, such as natural disaster

assistance and citizenship services, by dedicating offices to these important missions. DHS has Five Major Divisions,

or "Directorates": Border and Transportation Security (BTS); Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR); Science

and Technology (S & T); Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection (IAIP); Management. Besides the five

Directorates of DHS, several other critical agencies folded into the new department or were created: United States Coast

Guard; United States Secret Service; Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services; Office of State and Local

Government Coordination; Office of Private Sector Liaison; and the Office of Inspector General.

SECTION 3 DHS 173
174 DHS SECTION 3

all flood-prone communities, which

serve as the official demarcation for

flood risk. EPR administers the

National Hurricane Program and, for

regions subject to hurricanes, publishes hurricane evacuation maps based on

model simulation results from the

National Weather Service's National

Hurricane Center.

EPR's priority interests with OFCM

are in supporting EPR's pre-disaster

initiatives and in promoting standards

and procedures which will enhance the

ability of the Nation to mitigate and

recover from emergencies and disasters. These interests extend to national

standards for geographic information

systems (GIS) used for delivery of

meteorological products and services

by other agencies. EPR also actively

supports the OFCM-sponsored

Working Group for Post-Storm Data

Acquisition (WG/PSDA) and the

WG/PSDA's efforts to develop a

National Plan for Post-Storm Data

Acquisition to coordinate and support

the collection, by the federal agencies,

of perishable data after major storms.

These data have potential applications

in post-disaster mitigation activities,

the NFIP flood hazard analysis, the

EPR National Hurricane Program hurricane evacuation studies, and other

EPR's risk analysis activities, such as

the Multi-Hazard Loss Estimation

Methodology (HAZUS). The

Technical Services Division is the

principal contact for hurricane evacuation studies and flood risk analysis as

well as the EPR contact point for

meteorology-related matters.

(www.fema.gov) (Figure 3-DHS-1).

UNITED STATES COAST GUARD

(USCG) 

Since March 2003, the Commandant

of the Coast Guard reports directly to

the Secretary of Homeland Security.

However, the USCG also works closely with the Under Secretary of Border

and Transportation Security as well as

maintain its existing independent

identity as a military service. Upon

declaration of war or when the

President so directs, the Coast Guard

would operate as an element of

the Department of Defense, consistent

with existing law.

Although no United States Coast

Guard (USCG) cutters or shore units

are solely dedicated to meteorology,

they collectively perform a variety of

functions in support of the national

meteorology program. USCG oceangoing cutters and coastal stations provide weather observations to the

National Weather Service (NWS).

Coast Guard communications stations

broadcast NWS marine forecasts,

weather warnings, and weather facsimile charts and, also, collect weather

observations from commercial shipping for the NWS. The Coast Guard

also operates the LORAN C radionavigation system and the Maritime

Differential GPS (DGPS) Service. The

LORAN C system provides Position,

Navigation, and Timing (PNT) information to a variety of navigation and

non-navigation users throughout the

continental United States and Alaska

(e.g. radiosondes). The Maritime

DGPS Service is an augmentation to

the GPS that improves GPS-only accuracy to better than ten meters and provides DGPS coverage to coastal areas

of the continental United States, the

Great Lakes, Puerto Rico, portions of

Alaska and Hawaii, and portions of the

Mississippi River Basin.

Coast Guard operates three polar icebreakers - USCGC POLAR STAR,

USCGC POLAR SEA, and USCGC

HEALY - to serve our Nations security, economic, environmental, and scientific interests. These vessels make

important marine environmental measurements during dedicated science

deployments or in conjunction with

other missions.

USCGC HEALY, a new icebreaking

research vessel, was delivered to the

Coast Guard in November 1999 and

conducted successful shakedown tests

of the hull, machinery, and scientific

equipment during January-August

2000 (Figure 3-DHS-2). The first

unrestricted science cruise was conducted in the Eastern Arctic in the

summer of 2001. HEALY, has a length

of 420 feet, beam of 82 feet, and displaces over 16,000 tons. Scientific systems and gear include a bottom mapping multi-beam sonar system; a subbottom profiling system; a conductivity-depth-temperature data system; an

expendable oceanographic probe system; an Acoustic Doppler Current

Figure 3-DHS-1. FEMA Profiler; a jumbo coring system; a con- setup numerous Disaster Recovery Centers to provide

needed assistance to victims of Hurricane Isabel in September, 2003.
SECTION 3 DHS 175

tinuous flow, seawater sampling system; a meteorological measurement

system; and a bow tower for clean air

experiments. To schedule time on

HEALY, see the UNOLS web site,

www.unols.org. For more information,

see the Coast Guard web page for

HEALY, www.uscg.mil/pacarea/healy/.

USCG conducts the International Ice

Patrol (IIP) under the provisions of the

International Convention for Safety of

Life at Sea (SOLAS). The IIP uses

sensor-equipped aircraft to patrol the

Grand Banks of Newfoundland to

locate and track icebergs which pose a

hazard to North Atlantic shipping.

Direct observations are supplemented

and extrapolated using a numerical iceberg drift and deterioration model. IIP

determines the geographic limits of the

iceberg hazard and, twice daily, broadcasts iceberg warning bulletins and ice

facsimile charts which define the limits

of the iceberg threat during the iceberg

season (spring and summer). IIP annually archives data on all confirmed and

suspected icebergs, and forwards these

data to the National Snow and Ice Data

Center. These data can be accessed via

the IIP web page www.uscg.mil/

lantarea/iip/home.html. Archived data

contains all iceberg sighting data along

with the last model-predicted position

of each berg.

The Coast Guard participates with the

Navy and NOAA in conducting the

National Ice Center, a multi-agency

operational center that produces analyses and forecasts of Arctic, Antarctic,

Great Lakes, and coastal ice conditions.

The Coast Guard also collaborates

with NOAA in operating the National

Data Buoy Center (NDBC) which

deploys and maintains NOAA's automated network of environmental monitoring platforms in the deep ocean and

coastal regions. Five Coast Guard personnel fill key technical and logistics

support positions within NDBC. Coast

Guard cutters support the deployment

and retrieval of data buoys, and provide periodic maintenance visits to

both buoys and coastal stations,

expending approximately 180 cutter

days annually. Coast Guard aircraft,

small boats, and shore facilities also

provide NDBC support.

Meteorological activities are coordinated by the Ice Operations Division of

the Office of Aids to Navigation at

Coast Guard Headquarters. Field management of Coast Guard meteorological support services is accomplished as

the Coast Guard Area and District levels.

Figure 3-DHS-2. USCGC HEALEY,

the Coast Guards new icebreaking

research vessel, conducting ice trials.
Bureau of Land Management

BLM is one of five Federal Land

Management agencies which have centralized Wildland fire weather operations at the National Interagency Fire

Center (NIFC), Boise, Idaho. BLM's

Initial Attack Management System

(IAMS) was designed in the mid1980's to provide real-time data access

and modeling for the fire management

organization. The IAMS required a

considerable dedicated telecommunications network for data distribution.

In an effort to reduce these inherent

telecommunications costs, the BLM

has moved into a "web server" environment. Many of the capabilities that

were centrally located in the old IAMS

have been moved to other web sites.

Fire Weather Websites. The principal Wildland Fire Management

Information System (WFMIS) inputs

remain the same with Remote

Automatic Weather Station (RAWS)

and National Lightning Detection

Network (NLDN) information

(Figure 3-DOI-1). BLM's new server

system is called the BLM Wildland

Fire Management Information Site

(www.nifc.blm.gov). Additional fire

management information is summarized and made available at the Desert

Research Institute (wrcc.dri.edu and

cefa.dri.edu) and the United States

Forest Service Wildland

Fire Assessment System

(//svinet2.fs.fed.us/land/wfas/).

Additionally, the BLM has utilized the

Desert Research Institutes capabilities

to respond quickly for website support.

Automated Weather Stations. The

BLM's RAWS Program primarily collects meteorological data for fire

weather forecasting. However, use of

BLM's RAWS data set by other nonfire users has generated sufficient

funding to permit year-round operation

of the entire network. The BLM's

Resource Management and Oregon

O&C (West-Side) also operate RAWS

networks which are much smaller and

have specific program requirements

that differ from fire management.

Lightning Detection. In 1997, the

BLM began contracting with a private

vendor via the National Weather

Service for lightning location data.

Data are received at the NIFC in Boise,

Idaho, and placed on the BLM WFMIS

for qualified user access. Current

plans are to continue the operation of

the Alaska Automatic Lightning

Detection System as an independent

government-owed and operated system.

Fire Weather Support. The BLM's

Remote Sensing Fire Weather Support

Unit at NIFC provides a full range of

specialized management, maintenance,

data, and support services for the BLM

and numerous other government agencies. This interagency staffed and

funded facility performs work under

long-term interagency agreements

with those agencies within the governDEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WEATHER PROGRAMS

The Interior Department (DOI), is the Nations principal conservation agency, charged with the mission

to protect and provide access to our Nations natural and cultural heritage and honor our trust responsibilities to Indian tribes and our commitments to island communities. The following operational and

research program narratives describe the full range of meteorological activity in the Interior Department

that contribute to the overall Federal Meteorological Plan.

SECTION 3 DOI 177

Figure 3-DOI-1. A National Interagency Fire Center graphic of Lightning

Ignition Efficiency for the lower 48 states.
178 DOI SECTION 3

ment having similar equipment and

requirements. Staffing levels within

this group are adjusted to meet the

overall interagency requirements.

Climate Monitoring. In addition to

the meteorological monitoring BLM

conducts primarily to support Wildland

fire management activities, the BLM

also conducts site-specific climate

monitoring at over 200 manual weather station locations on the public lands

in the 11 western states and Alaska.

The operation of these sites ranges

from seasonal to annual, taking measurements of precipitation, temperature,

soil moisture, and other meteorological

parameters necessary to assess local

climactic influences. These data are

primarily used for natural resources

management and planning at the local

level.

Portable Weather Stations. During the

1999 fire season, the Remote

Sensing/Fire Weather Support Unit

began a 2-year "proof of concept" effort

with a portable weather station referred

to as the Fire RAWS (FRWS). FRWS

are intended for use on or near a fire line

and can be rapidly relocated to points

desired by Fire Behavior Analysts

(FBAs) for real-time weather data. Due

to the extreme fire season in both 1999

and 2000, the FRWS was used extensively and was found to be a valuable

asset for firefighter safety and fire

weather forecasting.

Currently, 30 FRWS systems are

cached at NIFC for use during the 2003

season. Prescribed fire managers have

increased the usage of FRWS for prescribed burns for information pertaining

to fire weather window prescriptions.

FRWS collect, store, and forward data

by interrogated voice radio with new

data available every fifteen minutes.

Satellite data can be retrieved from the

BLM/NIFC website. Hourly satellite

data is available to Fire Weather

Forecasting Staff for spot forecasts and

fire support from all central locations

(Geographic Area Coordination Centers

(GACCs), NIFC, etc.).

All Risks Support. After the terrorist

attack on September 11th, 2001, the

Remote Sensing/Fire Weather Support

Unit was tasked to provide near-realtime meteorological data collection at

the World Trade Center

(Figure 3-DOI-2). This effort was in

direct support of the Environmental

Protection Agency's task of monitoring

air quality in the vicinity of the collapsed towers. Most recently, the unit

also provided remote meteorological

support for the Columbia Shuttle

recovery effort. RAWS data from

BLM's network has generated additional interest from the new

Department of Homeland Security

(DHS). As DHS assesses its needs for

remote and urban environmental monitoring, BLM could potentially see

additional requests for support

required for the DHS mission.

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL

SURVEY (USGS)

Water Data. The USGS's Water

Resources Division (WRD) collects

streamflow, precipitation, water quality, ground-water level, and other water

resources and climatological data as

part of a national network and for a

number of projects concerning rainfall/runoff, water quality and hydrologic processes. Currently, the USGS

collects hydrologic and meteorological

data from more than 11,000 surfacewater sites, precipitation data from

more than 1,100 sites, ground-water

level data from more than 21,000 sites,

and water quality data from more than

8,500 surface-water, ground-water,

and precipitation sites.

Data collected at USGS sites are

transmitted from approximately

7,100 remote Data Collection

Platforms (DCPs). The data are transmitted to Wallops, Virginia, via GOES

and rebroadcast to a domestic communication satellite (DOMSAT). Data are

received from the DOMSAT by local

readout ground stations (LRGS) procured by USGS under a 1992 contract.

The USGS currently operates

15 LRGS which provide near-real-time

data to the USGS's computerized

National Water Information System

(NWIS). Data from an additional

1,300 sites are transmitted via other

telemetry (mostly telephone). NearFigure 3-DOI-2. Remote Sensing/Fire Weather Support Unit providing nearreal-time meteorological data collection at the World Trade Center.
SECTION 3 DOI 179

real-time streamflow data and ancillary

information are provided to National

Weather Service River Forecast

Centers for over 2000 river forecast

points (Figure 3-DOI-3).

The USGS also collects precipitation

samples in a number of studies for the

determination of atmospheric contribution to the chemical constituent

loads to runoff, and for defining the

effect of atmospheric deposition on

water quality and the aquatic environment. The USGS serves historical and

real-time water resources data on its

NWIS Web Internet site (http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/).

Snow and Ice Studies. The USGS is

carrying out a joint research program

with NASA and the University of

Washington-Seattles Electrical and

Civil Engineering Departments to

measure snowpack water equivalent or

snow depth using satellite passive

microwave observations from the

Defense Meteorological Satellite

Programs (DMSPs) Special Sensor

Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) sensor.

Unlike observations in the visible

bands, passive microwave observations are independent of cloud cover

and solar illumination and respond to

both snow depth and snowpack grain

size. The satellite observations are

being compared to snowpack data

from a variety of sources:

USDA/NRCS automatic SNOTEL

sites; NOAA/NWS sites; and observations by USGS field teams which

include grain size, density and stratigraphy. The object of the program is to

develop algorithms to extract snow

depth or water equivalent information

from the satellite observations to be

used in near-real-time water resource

assessments and in climatological

studies based on snowpack distributions determined from the two-decade

-long DMSP satellite record. The

investigation is developing techniques

to utilize algorithms that include the

effects of grain size metamorphoses

and to incorporate these algorithms

into hydrologic models.

Climatological Research. USGS

also carries out research in climate

change, regional hydrology, the carbon

cycle, coastal erosion, volcanic activity, and glaciology. As part of its

glaciology program, the USGS maintains an observation program on three

benchmark glaciers representative of

different climactic zones of the western United States, one in Washington,

one on the south coast of Alaska and

one in the interior of Alaska. At each

glacier, the program measures the winter snow accumulation, summer snow

and ice ablation, air temperature, and

runoff in the glacier basin. The length

of the glacier record is now 43 years;

this is the longest such record in North

America. Analysis of this record is

providing a greater understanding of

the climate variability and its effects

on water resources of the western

Figure 3-DOI-3. Sample USGS Water Watch map of real-time streamflow compared to historical streamflow for the day

of the year. Source: USGS Website
180 DOI SECTION 3

United States. The record clearly

shows the effects of changing winter

precipitation patterns associated with

El Niño and La Niña events. In addition, the record from South Cascade

Glacier, in Washington State, indicates

that we are returning to the cool-phase

of the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.

Both the snowpack and glaciology program now incorporate data supplied by

the U.S. intelligence community

through the coordination of the Civil

Applications Committee (CAC).

Geomagnetic Data. The Geomagnetism Group of the USGS Central

Region Geohazards Team provides

real-time, ground-based measurements

of the Earth's magnetic field, which are

an important contribution to the diagnosis of conditions in the near-Earth

space environment of

the sun, the solar

wind, the magnetosphere, the ionosphere, and the thermosphere. During

geomagnetic storms, brought

about by the complex interaction

of the Earth's magnetic field with

that of the Sun's, both high-and

low-frequency radio communications can be difficult or impossible, global positioning systems

(GPS) can be degraded, satellite

electronics can be damaged, satellite

drag can be enhanced, and astronaut

and high-altitude pilots can be subjected to enhanced levels of radiation. 

Ground-based geomagnetic observatory data are complementary to those

collected by space-based satellites,

indeed, most of the hazardous effects

on technological systems brought

about by magnetic storms, occur at or

near the Earth's surface; therefore, to

monitor the magnetic field, the

Geomagnetism Group operates

14 magnetic observatories in the

United States and its Territories. The

data from these observatories, plus

15 foreign observatories, are transmitted to the Group's headquarters in

Golden ,Colorado, where they are

processed and analyzed. Data are then

transmitted to the Space Environment

Center (SEC) of the National Oceanic

and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA) and to the U.S. Air Forces

(USAF) Air Force Weather Agency at

Offutt AFB, Nebraska. 

USGS observatories are operated

in cooperation with Intermagnet, an

international consortium overseeing

the operation of nearly 80 geomagnetic observatories distributed

around the globe. The roles and

responsibilities of agencies participating in the National Space

Environment and Warning Program

are detailed in the The National

Space Weather Program Strategic

Plan (FCM-P30-1995).

Volcanology and Volcanic

Ash Plumes. USGS participates in the Working Group for

Volcanic Ash (WG/VA) of the

OFCM. This working group is preparing A National Framework for

Volcanic Ash Hazards to Aviation.

Through its Volcanic Hazards

Program, the USGS is responsible for

monitoring volcanoes in the United

States; of the approximately 56 historically active volcanoes in the United

States, more than 40 are in Alaska.

Until the 1980s, the Alaskan volcanoes

had been largely unstudied. Despite

Alaskas low population density over

much of the state, Alaska's volcanoes

underlie the heavily traveled air routes

of the North Pacific region.

During recent years, the USGS's

Alaskan Volcano Observatory (AVO)

has expanded its network of real-time

seismic monitoring stations to bring 24

of the Alaska's volcanoes under continuous, real-time surveillance. Data and

information from the AVO monitoring

activities are integrated directly into

the regional operational activities of

the FAA, DOD, and NOAA/NWS to

provide warnings for pilots and aircraft

operators in the Alaskan region.

Internationally, the OFCM's WG/VA

supported expansion of USGS monitoring activities in

the remote Pacific

Rim of explosive

volcanoes. The 100

historically active

volcanoes in Alaska,

Kamchatka, and the Kuriles are monitored through satellite imagery several times a day. Currently, about

220 aircraft per day - carrying about

20,000 passengers and millions of

dollars of cargo value - fly international Northern Pacific Routes

near these historically active volcanos. About half these flights

are United States carriers.

AVO, through its working

agreement with the Kamchatka

Volcanic Eruption Response

Team (KVERT) in

Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky,

Russia, also supplies information

about eruptive activity in Kamchatka

and the Kuriles to the FAA, the NWS,

and numerous domestic and foreign air

carriers.

BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

The Bureau of Reclamation

(Reclamation) activities requiring the

collection and use of meteorological

data include water supply forecasting,

snowpack water equivalent assess-
SECTION 3 DOI 181

ment, river system management, reservoir operations, irrigation scheduling,

drought status assessment, flood

hydrology, and projects related to

hydroelectric energy resources. One

example of such an ongoing activity

within the Science and Technology

Program is the Watershed and River

System Management Program

(WaRSMP), which is being developed

in partnership with the USGS

(Figure 3-DOI-4). This program provides a data-centered framework for

science-based water resources decision

making. Major components are:

 Hydrologic DataBase (HDB),

 Modular Modeling System (MMS), 

 RiverWare river system modeling

framework,

 Stochastic Analysis, Modeling and

Simulation (SAMS) system, and

 Agricultural WAter Resources

Decision Support (AWARDS) and

Evapotranspiration Toolbox (ET

Toolbox) system.

Hydrologic Modeling. SAMS is

being used in WaRSMP to assist water

resource managers in developing likely hydrologic scenarios for water supplies. It allows users to test various

water resources management strategies, including extreme drought and

high-flow scenarios which haven't

been encountered in the historical period of record.

The RiverWare and HDB data-centered decision support system enables

water managers to examine a variety of

observed and forecast hydrologic scenarios using hourly, daily, or monthly

data within the legal and physical constraints on operations of the river system. This model provides a holistic

management tool for watershed and

river systems, in order to meet a variety of competing demands for water.

Each new river system requires considerable development work (2-3 years)

for RiverWare and HDB implementation. However, such a system can provide for efficient water operations

management, and is especially useful

during periods of drought and surplus -

as demonstrated by the recent

"Colorado River Interim Surplus

Criteria: Final Environmental Impact

Statement".

Current Reclamation Science and

Technology Program projects under

WaRSMP include:

 Planning and developing HDB,

MMS and RiverWare systems for

the Gunnison, San Juan, Rio

Grande, Yakima, and Truckee river

systems;

 SAMS integration and testing for

the Colorado River Basin;

 Implementing AWARDS systems

to improve the efficiency of water

management and irrigation scheduling for the Tualatin Project,

Upper Columbia project areas, and

Lower Colorado area;

 Developing the AWARDS/ET

Toolbox system in the Middle Rio

Grande and providing 24-hour

water use estimates for input, via

the Corps of Engineers' Hydrologic

Engineering Center Decision

Support System or a new HDB, to

the Rio Grande RiverWare; and

 Implementing similar

AWARDS/ET Toolbox systems

with input to local HDBs and

RiverWare systems in the Upper

Columbia, Lower Colorado, and

possibly the Truckee-Carson areas.

An additional product of the

WaRSMP is the Hydrologic Modeling

Inventory (HMI) which provides general technical information and contacts

for a wide variety of water resources

models presently in use. The HMI is

being expanded and can be accessed

on the Web at www.usbr.gov/hmi.

Decision Support Systems. An

example of the real-time support to

Reclamation's water managers is

shown for the Upper Columbia Basin

(Figure 3-DOI-5). Here NEXRAD

estimates of precipitation are used for

water supply and water delivery decision-making. Water managers can

view the distribution of precipitation

over watersheds that supply water to

storage facilities, and examine the

detailed spatial distributions of precipitation over the irrigated areas along

with estimates of soil moisture, and

evapotranspiration from crops and

riparian vegetation.

Figure 3-DOI-4. The Watershed and River Systems Management Program

focuses on integrating multi-disciplinary science into decision support systems

that enable water managers to make the best deliveries of water to stakeholders.
Instrumentation and Data Acquisition.

Currently, Reclamation's

HYDROMET system collects data

from approximately 400 hydrometeorological data collection platforms

(DCPs) which transmit data in realtime through GOES to Reclamations

DRGS in Boise, Idaho. AGRIMET is

another network of 60 DCPs dedicated

to analysis of crop water use and water

conservation in the Pacific Northwest.

Data collected and products created in

Boise are electronically transferred to

other BLM, Federal and state offices.

Reclamation's primary real-time

hydrometeorological information from

the National Weather Service, USGS,

NASA, and other agencies is displayed

on the AWARDS / NEXRAD / ET

Toolbox web site: http://www.usbr.

gov/rsmg/awards/. Water supply information from cumulative precipitation

estimates from radar is also provided

in areas where snow fall is an important source of water. Links directly to

NRCS and NOAA/NCEP analysis and

forecasting web sites are provided to

further document the latest information.

Technical Information. Reclamation is

a partner with several large western

municipal water providers in the study

of benefits from the implementation of

water conserving landscaping. The

study known as the National Xeriscape

Demonstration Program includes the

development of a numerical evapotranspiration-based model that will use

municipal logistical and climatological

data as inputs to develop benefit estimates for municipalities of the West.

Some early suggestions from the study

point to inefficient irrigation by homeowners caused by inefficient systems

and operation, in addition to using high

water-consuming landscape plants.

More study is needed on development

of "smart" irrigation scheduling systems and centralized control by water

providers.

During abnormal regional climate

conditions, Reclamation meteorologists assist water managers by evaluating environmental information and

providing guidance based on the

NOAA Climate Prediction Center's

(CPC) Weekly Hazards Briefing

updates and CPC's seasonal and annual climate forecasts. Special related

studies are done upon the request of

Reclamation water operations managers, policy team leaders, and cooperating agencies.

MINERALS MANAGEMENTSERVICE

The Minerals Management Service's

(MMSs) Environmental Studies

Program gathers offshore environmental data for use in the management of

offshore oil and gas resources.

Currently, MMS is funding the continued operation of five offshore meteorological buoys. Two buoys are located

in the Gulf of Mexico and three in the

Pacific Ocean off California. The

MMS also utilizes data from other

buoys funded by NOAA. The buoys

collect air temperature, sea surface

temperature, wind direction, wind

182 DOI SECTION 3

Figure 3-DOI-5. Agricultural Water Resources Decision-Support (AWARDS)/

ET Toolbox example from the Columbia Basin from Grand Coulee Dam,

Washington to Pendleton, Oregon, showing the precipitation accumulation

algorithm (PAA) estimates from the Spokane, Washington, and Pendleton,

Oregon, WSR-88D radars.
SECTION 3 DOI 183

speed, wave height, and wave spectrum data. Many of the buoys measure

relative humidity as well.

In FY 2002, the MMS completed

data collection from two 915-MHz

radar profilers with Radio Acoustic

Sounding System (RASS) in the Gulf

of Mexico. One profiler was located

about 6 miles off the central Louisiana

coast, while the other was placed in

deeper water about 130 km from

shore. Data collection started in

June 1998, and ended in October 2001.

Each profiler site also collected surface wind, temperature, relative

humidity, atmospheric pressure, and

sea surface temperature. The profiler

data will be synthesized with data from

other sources, such as buoys, as well as

with output from a prognostic model to

construct a database on marine boundary layer and atmospheric dispersion

characteristics in the Gulf of Mexico.

Upon request by MMS, the oil and

gas industry operators with facilities

located within 100 km of the Breton

National Wilderness Area (NWA) in

Louisiana undertook an aerometric

monitoring program. Six monitoring

stations were established. One was

based on shore; the others were placed

on offshore platforms or buoys. All of

them collected surface meteorological

data. Four of the sites had radar profilers with RASS. Three of the sites

also collected air quality data. Data

collection started in October 2000 and

ended in September 2001. The data

will be used to study the effect of air

emissions in the area on air quality in

the Breton NWA.

BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

The Bureau of Indian Affairs collects

atmospheric data to evaluate potentially irrigable Indian Trust lands in the

Southwest. The Bureau also shares

fire weather data with other Federal

agencies while participating in fire

weather forecasting at the National

Interagency Fire Center.

National Park Service and Fish and

Wildlife Service

The National Park Service (NPS)

monitors air quality and visibility in

several national parks and monuments.

Gaseous pollutants data are collected

on continuous and integrated

(24-hour) bases. Surface meteorological data are collected and analyzed for

hourly averages. Precipitation chemistry is determined on week-long integrated rainfall samples. Twenty-four

hour, average particle concentrations

(mass, elemental analyses, some

chemical constituent analyses) are

measured twice weekly. Atmospheric

light extinction is measured continuously and relayed to a central location

for analyses (Figure 3-DOI-6).

The NPS also conducts and contracts

research to develop and test air quality

models to assess long-range transport,

chemical transformation, and deposition of air pollutants. These models

are used to estimate source contributions to, and to identify source regions

responsible for, observed pollutant

loadings.

Joint Monitoring and Research. The

Fish and Wildlife Service Air Quality

Branch and the NPS Air Resources

Division operate under an interagency

agreement and are collocated in

Lakewood, Colorado. Expertise from

both agencies is pooled to address the

air quality issues that are the responsibility of the Assistant Secretary of the

Interior for Fish and Wildlife and

Parks.

Figure 3-DOI-6. Visibility impairment causes landscape features and colors to

fade, diminishing the experience of park visitors. Poorest visibility occurs east

of the Mississippi River and in the urban areas of California. NPS monitors

visibility conditions and conducts studies to determine the causes of visibility

impairment in many park areas nationwide. Sulfates are usually the largest single contributor to visibility impairment; however, nitrates and organic compounds also contribute significantly in some regions of the country.
Stratospheric ozone depletion has

been recognized as a critical health and

environmental problem for more than a

decade. Under DOS leadership, the

United States worked to negotiate

international agreements to phase out

ozone-depleting substances, which

should lead to a recovery of the ozone

layer in the next century. To date,

these treaties have been signed and ratified by more than 170 countries

(including the United States), representing 99 percent of the world's production of ozone depleting substances.

The IPCC, which is jointly sponsored by the World Meteorological

Organization (WMO) and the United

Nations Environment Program

(UNEP), held its first session in 1988.

This organization serves as a government forum to assess the state of scientific and technical information regarding climate change. The IPCC is currently organized in three working

groups, examining: (1) the state of the

science, (2) impacts and adaptation,

and (3) mitigation. The IPCC released

its first and second assessment reports

in 1990 and 1995, respectively, and a

third assessment report from each of

the working groups was published in

2001. In addition to preparing assessment reports, the IPCC also contributed to international negotiations

through preparation and review of special reports and development of

methodologies requested by the

Framework Convention on Climate

Change (FCCC).

The FCCC was negotiated beginning

in February 1991; the Convention was

open for signature in Rio de Janeiro at

the Earth Summit in June 1992. As of

December 2001, it had been ratified by

186 countries, including the United

States. The first meeting of the

Conference of the Parties to the

Convention was held in Berlin in

March/April 1995. The Convention

calls for all countries to develop inventories of their emissions and sinks of

greenhouse gases and calls upon developed countries and economies in transition to aim to return these emissions

to their 1990 levels by the year 2000.

In December 1997, Parties to the

Convention reached agreement on the

Kyoto Protocol, which establishes targets for the reduction of greenhouse

gas emissions in developed countries

and countries with economies in transition. Although the United States will

not ratify the Kyoto Protocol, the

United States is actively engaged in

addressing climate change through

Convention, through international science and technology initiatives such as

the earth Observation Summit and the

Carbon Sequestration Leadership

Forum, and through bilateral partnerships with Australia, Canada, Italy,

Japan, and other countries. These initiatives will improve the capability to

understand and address issues associated with climate change in a manner

that supports broader goals.

In addition to its primary role in the

fora listed above, DOS is active on the

Committee on Environment and

Natural Resources (CENR) of the

National Science and Technology

Council. The CENR was established

in 1993 to coordinate scientific domestic programs. Furthermore, while the

emphasis on global environmental

issues is a key new component of the

department's focus, traditional DOS

responsibilities, described in earlier

federal plans, continue. These include,

but are not limited to, international

aspects of food policy, disaster warnings and assistance, WMO and UNEP

activities, and international meteorological programs.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE CLIMATE AND ATMOSPHERIC PROGRAMS

The Department of State (DOS) plays an active role in international climate/meteorological policy making as a result of the growing worldwide concern with global environmental issues, including the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer and climate change. The role of DOS has principally revolved

around preparation and negotiation of the United States position in three fora: (1) the Conference of the

Parties to the Vienna Convention and its Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone

Layer, (2) the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); and (3) negotiation under the

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

SECTION 3 DOS 185
Meteorological support to EPA's

Office of Research and Development,

EPA's Office of Air and Radiation,

EPA Regional Offices, and to state and

local agencies includes: (1) development and application of air quality dispersion models for pollution control,

direct and indirect exposure assessments, and strategy creation; (2) preparation and performance of dispersion

studies and air quality model evaluations; and (3) review of meteorological

aspects of environmental impact statements, state implementation plans, and

pollution variance requests.

Meteorological expertise and guidance

are also provided for the national air

quality standards, modeling guideline,

and policy development activities of

the EPA.

In light of the 1990 Amendments to

the Clean Air Act, air quality models

and the manner in which they are used

are expected to continue to evolve over

the next few years. In the area of pollutant deposition, the evaluation of

nitrogen, oxidant, sulfur and aerosol

chemistries will help to clarify the

roles of model formulation, cloud

processes, radiative transfer, and

air/surface exchanges in air quality

model predictions, leading to a better

understanding of model predictions

relative to control strategy assessments. Further development and evaluation of existing air quality models

will take place to accommodate the

inter-pollutant effects resulting from

the variety of control programs that are

now or may be in place, such as the

new National Ambient Air Quality

Standards for ozone and particulate

pollution. These inter- pollutant

effects include trade-offs among controls on ozone, sulfur oxides, nitrogen

oxides, and volatile organic compounds, as well as developing predictable methods of forecasting the

impacts on various measures of air

quality.

With respect to the fine particulate

model development, dispersion models

are being enhanced to accurately predict aerosol growth from precursors

over local and regional transport distances. To assist in the evaluation of

the contribution of various sources to

regional air degradation, inert tracer

and tagged species numerical models

have been developed. These models

will introduce separate calculations for

inert or reactive chemical species emitted from a particular source or region.

The calculations will proceed to simulate transport and transformation to a

receptor point, where the contribution

of emission sources can be discerned.

With respect to oxidant air quality

modeling, the roles of biogenic volatile

organic compounds, rural nitrogen

oxides, and atmospheric transport are

being elucidated. A better understanding will be developed of the fundamental aspects of the ozone nonattainment problem such as differences in

urban and rural rates of and/or sources

of photochemical production and the

interaction through transport of these

ozone precursors.

Atmospheric research in the areas of

climate and climate change includes

ozone distribution in the global troposphere, the relationship between ozone

distribution and climate (including

temporal and spatial aspects), and

regional climate studies addressing the

interaction of climate with the biosphere. The climatology program

involves both analytical and statistical

climatology as well as support for

regional-scale climate model development. Climate change issues and their

feedbacks with the biosphere are being

stressed.

Research in human exposure modeling includes microenvironmental monitoring and modeling, and development of exposure assessment tools.

Microenvironmental algorithms are

being developed based on field data to

predict air quality in buildings,

attached garages, and street canyons.

These improved algorithms are then

incorporated into microenvironmental

simulation models for conducting

human exposure assessments within

enclosed spaces in which specific

human activities occur. A specific

application involves computer graphics-based solar radiation exposure

modeling. Three-dimensional graphics modeling software is used to display a near-photographic-quality

human model, and to illuminate the

model with a simulated sunlight

source. Since the American Cancer

Society reports that over 80 percent of

skin cancers occur on the face, head,

neck, and back of the hands, modeling

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYWEATHER PROGRAMS

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for working with state, local, and other federal

government agencies to provide user-appropriate and scientifically-credible air quality and meteorological programs to support regulatory applications. Applied research and meteorological support are

furnished primarily by EPA's National Exposure Research Laboratory and EPA's Office of Air Quality

Planning and Standards, both located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. This activity is provided through interagency agreements with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA), which assigns approximately 50 research meteorologists to the EPA.

SECTION 3 EPA 187
human exposure to solar radiation

requires that exposure calculations be

anatomically resolved. The calculation

of light illumination for various receptor points across the anatomy will provide information about different exposures as a function of model posture,

orientation relative to the sun, and sun

elevation. This kind of research will

provide a "dose" factor needed to

develop dose-response functions for

skin cancer, immune system suppression, and cataract formation.

In addition to the above major areas,

dispersion models for inert, reactive

and toxic pollutants are under development and evaluation on all temporal

and spatial scales, e.g., indoor, urban,

complex terrain, mesoscale, regional,

and global. Other efforts include

development of air pollution climatologies; modeling nutrient deposition

to Chesapeake Bay and mercury deposition to the Florida Everglades; modeling of accidental releases of toxic

compounds forming dense gas clouds;

determination and description of pollutant effects on atmospheric parameters;

and conversely, determination of meteorological effects on air quality.

Atmospheric flow and dispersion

experimental data obtained from wind

tunnel, water channel/towing tank, and

convection tank experiments in the

EPA Fluid Modeling Facility will be

used to continue development and

evaluation of these models in the

FY 2004 period, along with providing

researchers with insight into the basic

physical processes that affect pollutant

dispersion around natural and manmade obstacles. For example, the

transport and dispersion of airborne

agents in the lower Manhattan, New

York area are being simulated in the

wind tunnel to evaluate Computational

Fluid Dynamics modeling systems in

an effort to help build confidence in

modeling assessment source-receptor

relationships for horrific events such as

the one that occurred on

September 11, 2001. The convection

tank is also being used to simulate and

develop improved models for open

burning and open detonation of surplus

and obsolete military munitions.

Over the past twenty-five years,

numerous air quality simulation models have been developed to estimate

reductions in ambient air pollutant

concentrations resulting from potential

emission control strategies. Separate

models were developed, for example,

for tropospheric ozone and photochemical smog, for acid deposition,

and for fine particles. Distinct models

also existed for addressing urban scale

problems and the larger regional scale

problems. It has been recognized,

however, that the various pollutant

regimes are closely linked chemically,

spatially/temporally in the atmosphere.

The principal purpose of the Models3/Community Multi-scale Air Quality

(CMAQ) modeling project was to

develop a "one atmosphere" flexible

environmental modeling tool that integrates the major atmospheric pollution

regimes in a multi-scale, multi-pollutant modeling system. This system

will enable high-level computational

access to both scientific and air quality

management users for socio-economic

applications in community health

assessments and ecosystem sustainability studies.

After seven years of development,

the Models-3/CMAQ was first

released in June 1998 and is being

updated annually for use by Federal

agencies, States, industry, and academia. The latest version of CMAQ was

released in August 2003. It is also

intended to serve as a community

framework for continual advancement

and use of environmental assessment

tools. Models-3/CMAQ, configured

for the Windows-NT computer system,

is available on tapes from the National

Technical Information Service (NTIS).

It is accompanied by an Installation

and Operations Manual, a User

Manual, a Science Document, and a

Tutorial providing step by step instructions for use of the modeling capabilities. Additional information is available at the Models-3 web site at

http://www.epa.gov/asmdnerl/models3/.

Figure 3-EPA-1 illustrates the results

of Models-3/CMAQ for ozone and fine

particulate matter (PM2.5), sulfates,

and visibility for July 6, 1999 for the

contiguous United States at 32-km horizontal grid dimension, a period of

widespread ambient pollution in the

nation.

In FY 2004, EPA is working closely

with the National Center for

Environmental Prediction of the

National Weather Service (NWS) in

developing a coupled meteorologicalchemical transport model for predicting ambient air quality over the continental United States. This capability is

built on years of research in air quality,

exemplified by the NOAA-led New

England Pilot Air Quality Study in

2002. In the first phase of the forecasting project, NWS will implement

the NOAA-EPA air quality model,

namely, the Eta-CMAQ system, to provide daily forecast guidance for ozone

in the northeastern United States by

September 2004. Within five years,

the system for ozone will deploy

nationwide. Within ten years, the

operational forecast capability is projected to be able to forecast particulate

matter. State and local air quality management agencies will continue to

forecast local air quality, assisted in

their efforts by the addition of national

forecast guidance for the concentrations of ozone and other air pollutants.

EPA participation in the interagency

Information Technology Research and

Development (IT R&D) Program is

developing a modeling framework that

supports integration of diverse models

(e.g, atmospheric, land surface, and

watershed) as part of EPA's

Multimedia Integrated Modeling

System (MIMS) project, described at

http://www.epa.gov/asmdnerl/mims/.

EPA's IT R&D work also enables

increased efficiency in air quality

188 EPA SECTION 3
SECTION 3 EPA 189

meteorological modeling through

research on parallel implementation of

the CMAQ modeling system. The

evolving MIMS research seeks to

improve the environmental management community's ability to evaluate

the impact of air quality and watershed

management practices, at multiple

scales, on stream and estuarine conditions. Toward this goal the primary

objectives include (1) developing a

prototype multiscale integrated modeling system with predictive meteorological capability for transport and fate of

nutrients and chemical stressors;

(2) enabling the use of remotely sensed

meteorological data; and (3) developing a computer-based problem solving

environment with ready access to data,

models, and integrated visualization

and analysis tools for water and air

quality management, local and regional development planning, and exposure-risk assessments. Under the

MIMS project, a variety of research

areas are being pursued such as the

integration of the National Weather

Service Next Generation Radar

(NEXRAD) Stage IV data into watershed modeling applications; enhanced

Figure 3-EPA-1. Models-3/CMAQ simulation results for July 6, 1999 for the contiguous United States at 32-km horizontal grid spacing showing: (upper left) maximum 1-hour average ozone concentration (ppmV) in each grid cell

between 7:00 AM and midnight EDT; (upper right) 24-hour averages of sulfate concentrations (micrograms/m3); (lower

left) 24-hour averages of PM2.5 concentrations (micrograms/m3) in each 32-km grid cell; and (lower right) noontime

EDT visibility (deciview, note insert) in each grid cell.
190 EPA SECTION 3

atmospheric dry deposition models;

multi-scale, spatially explicit watershed modeling tools; and model-coupling technology for integrating media

specific models. The MIMS development extends the open architecture

approach demonstrated in the third

generation modeling system, Models3/CMAQ, and is the next generation of

modeling frameworks under the IT

R&D program.

EPA also maintains relations with

foreign countries to facilitate exchange

of research meteorologists and

research results pertaining to meteorological aspects of air pollution. For

example, agreements are currently in

place with Canada, Japan, Korea,

China, and Mexico, and with several

European countries under the NATO

Committee on the Challenges of

Modern Society (CCMS).
OPERATIONS

The goal of the National Aeronautics

and Space Administration (NASA)

weather operations program is to provide the specialized meteorological

data and techniques needed by forecasters at Cape Canaveral Air Station

and the Spaceflight Meteorology

Group at Johnson Space Center (JSC)

to support the Space Shuttle and

Expendable Launch Vehicle (ELV)

programs. The greatest challenge is to

observe and forecast the mesoscale

weather events that strongly impact

ground processing, launch, and landing

operations.

This goal requires exploitation of the

latest technology. The Applied

Meteorology Unit (AMU), co-located

with the Air Force's Range Weather

Operations, provides a facility to develop, evaluate and, if warranted, transition

new meteorological technology into

operations. For instance, the AMU

strives to develop techniques and systems to help predict and avoid the

impacts of Kennedy Space Center's

(KSC) frequent thunderstorms which

endanger the ground processing, launch,

and landing operations of the American

Space Program-Space Shuttle, DOD,

and commercial. The AMU has focused

special attention on evaluating

mesoscale numerical models. The

AMU functions under a joint NASA,

Air Force, and National Weather

Service (NWS) Memorandum of

Understanding. AMU tasks during

Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 include:

Task: Statistical Forecast Guidance

for the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF)

Towers

Goal: Calculate climatologies and

probabilities for the 10-minute peak

winds at the SLF and create a PCbased graphical user interface (GUI) to

access the data.

Status: Task complete and GUI now

operational and in use at the

Spaceflight Meteorology Group

(SMG).

Task: Doppler miniSODARTM

System (DmSS) Evaluation

Goal: Compare data from the DmSS

near SLC-37 to wind data from the

nearest tall tower to determine the reliability and quality of DmSS data for

operational wind analysis.

Status Analysis of a large sample of

both mean and peak winds identified

several sources of systematic error in

both quantities. A report is being prepared.

Task: Analyze Automated

Meteorological Profiling System

(AMPS) Moisture Profiles

Goal: Evaluate differences in moisture profiles between AMPS and the

Meteorological Sounding System

(MSS), and determine their impact on

indices used for thunderstorm forecasting.

Status: Completed memorandum

detailing analysis of the 20 dual-sensor

AMPS/MSS profiles taken in July and

August 2002. There were no apparent

differences between the AMPS and

MSS stability indices computed from

warm-season data, even though relative humidity (RH) profile differences

indicated that AMPS would show the

atmosphere to be more unstable. The

AMU resolved this paradox by finding

a weak temperature difference between

AMPS and MSS that counteracts the

RH differences. No changes need to

be made to the stability indices calculated from AMPS data.

Task: Verification of Numerical

Weather Prediction Models

Goal: Develop an automated method

that will verify specific weather phenomena in high-resolution models in

order to improve upon traditional verification techniques.

Status: Completed final report

describing new Contour Error Map

(CEM) method. A journal article is in

preparation. The CEM is an automated

method developed to identify seabreeze characteristics in observed and

model forecast wind fields, and verify

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

WEATHER PROGRAMS

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters Weather Support Office has

continued to improve NASA's weather support capabilities for both manned and unmanned space launch

vehicles. It is expected that these improvements will strengthen and enhance the information provided

to the ground-based decision-makers and astronaut observers to insure that NASA achieves the best

operational posture for Space Shuttle launches and landings. The goal of the operations program is to

provide the specialized meteorological data needed by operational forecasters at Cape Canaveral Air

Station of Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Johnson Space Center to support the Space Shuttle program. The focus is

on detecting and forecasting the mesoscale weather events which strongly impact Shuttle ground processing, launches,

and landing operations. NASAs also performs aviation research to improve safety, develop weather information technologies, and increase aviation system capacity. Advanced operations technologies can increase the number of operations per runway in all weather conditions. The research applies to both commercial and general aviation.

SECTION 3 NASA 191
192 NASA SECTION 3

the model-predicted sea breezes.

Results from the CEM compared well

to a meteorological analysis of

observed and model forecast seabreeze locations over the Cape

Canaveral, Florida area. A phenomenological-based method like the CEM

can save time and resources when verifying model forecasts against

observed data, and can help improve

the quality of verification results by

focusing on a specific phenomenon.

Task: Range Standardization and

Automation (RSA) Support

Goal: Help the Eastern Range assess

and evaluate proposed designs and

implementations of the weather systems upgrade by the RSA and SLRSC

contractors.

Status: Ongoing task. AMU participates in design reviews, acceptance

tests and other functions as required.

The KSC Weather Office is improving

the KSC and Eastern Range weather

infrastructures and conducting research

to improve operational processes and

facilities. In FY 2003, KSC began transmitting Visibility and Soil Moisture data

to JSC/SMG from five suites of newly

installed sensors west of KSC to aid in

the forecast of morning fog that could

impact Shuttle landings. The Weather

Office also continued to direct the analysis of data gathering from KSC's major

field research program called the

Lightning Launch Commit Criteria

(LLCC) program. The LLCC program

used an aircraft equipped with field

mills and cloud physics sensors, in combination with several ground based

radars and other sensors, to collect the

data necessary to relax the lightning

launch constraints while making them

even safer. LLCC was cooperatively

funded by the Shuttle program, NASA

ELVs and the USAF. The team includes

more than 50 personnel from eleven

organizations including other

Governmental agencies, NASA Centers,

universities and their contractors. The

initial set of new launch rules is expected by early FY 2004.

The KSC Weather Office, SMG at

JSC, and the AMU continue to work on

projects managed by the Range

Standardization and Automation

(RSA) program and under the new

Spacelift Range Systems Contract

(SLRS-C). RSA is a major Air Force

program to modernize the Eastern and

Western Range infrastructure. SLRS-C

will provide sustaining engineering for

the systems RSA provides. Deliveries

of weather sensors, models, and control and display systems began in

FY 2000 and will conclude in late

2004. Modernization of the KSC 50

MHz Doppler Radar Wind Profiler

(DRWP) and its electronic components

and is planned for late FY 2003 and

early FY 2004. Upon completion,

DRWP will be transferred to the

Eastern Range. KSC also obtained Air

Force funding to improve the drainage

of the DRWP antenna field that flooded during very heavy rains. SLRSC

also conducted an Engineering Study

to replace and modernize the weather

instrumentation at the Shuttle Landing

Facility (SLF). Upon completion,

NASA will transfer the entire system

to Eastern Range ownership.

Many issues remain with RSA's

pending changes to the Eastern and

Western Ranges' meteorological infrastructures. Thus the Air Force and

NASA weather communities continued to expend significant resources to

solve potential major RSA deficiencies

since NASA KSC, JSC and MSFC

depend heavily on this infrastructure

for their weather support. A major success was the RSA contractor's decision

to discard their proposed Control and

Display (C&D) system, and instead

partner with NOAA's Forecast

Systems Lab to deliver a COTS

AWIPS (Automated Weather

Information System). This would provide Range Weather Operations with a

very capable system that is cost effective, and compatible with both future

AWIPS upgrades and with SMG.

However, Air Force budget redirection

seriously threatens cancellation of the

entire RSA weather system. A decision

is pending. Cancellation would seriously degrade long term weather support to the American Space Program.

The Radio Automatic Theodolite

System (RATS) used to provide upper

level winds, temperatures and humidity at the Shuttle Transatlantic Abort

Landing (TAL) sites in Spain,

Morocco, and Gambia, became obsolete when the manufacture announced

cessation of sonde production. A

replacement system called TASS (TAL

Atmospheric sounding System), a

Global Positioning System (GPS)

based Sippican W9000, was selected,

procured, integrated and tested with

the help of the Eastern Range. The system is now installed and operational.

The Eastern Range owns, operates and

maintains the system for NASA.

The KSC Weather Office funded

development of a new lightning detection system capable of locating lightning strikes in 4D with an accuracy of

<5 meters (a considerable improvement over the 250-300 meter accuracy

of our current lightning location system.) Called SOLLO (Sonic Lightning

Locator), it uses a sensor to detect the

time of arrival of the electromagnetic

pulse from a lightning strike, and then

one elevated detector and three surface

based detectors to measure the time of

arrival of thunder from the lightning,

to very accurately calculate the location of the lightning strike. SOLLO

also calculates the amperage, rise time,

and polarity of the strike. During

FY 2003, KSC is installing SOLLO at

the Shuttle Launch Complex, the

International Space Station Building,

and a new technology development

and testing facility.

The entire NASA and Eastern Range

weather communities (KSC, JSC,

MSFC, GSFC, LRC, and 45th Weather

Squadron) were deeply involved supporting the Space Shuttle Columbia

accident investigation. Weather analyses were crucial to: identifying likely
SECTION 3 NASA 193

debris locations over the western and

central United States; characterizing

the atmosphere during reentry beginning at the very data sparse upper

Mesosphere; identifying possible

anomalous wind shears during launch

ascent; analyzing Columbia's exposure

to the atmosphere during the 39 days

Columbia was on the launch pad; and

numerous engineering studies.

NOAA/NWS also provided considerable help.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH

The NASA's Earth Science

Enterprise (ESE) sponsors the supporting research activities. NASA uses the

vantage point of space to observe Earth

and understand both how it is changing

and the consequences for life. The

Earth System Science Theme works

with the science community to answer

questions on the frontiers of science

that have profound societal importance, and for which remote sensing of

the Earth can make a defining contribution. The program funds research at

the Nation's universities, conducts

research at NASA Centers, and collaborates with other research agencies and

the U.S. Climate Change Science

Program Office/U.S. Global Change

Research Program, and the National

Research Council to define these questions and lay the scientific foundation

for prioritizing and approaching them.

The program is answering the scientific community's call for comprehensive

observation of the Earth's major components. Research results contribute to

the development of sound environmental policy and economic investment

decisions. With the FY 2004 budget

request, NASA will continue its

progress in answering key scientific

questions and demonstrating practical

applications in response to national

priorities.

The NASA Earth System Science

program is driven by the recognition of

the societal importance of the natural

variability of the Earth system and the

realization that

humans are no

longer passive participants in global

change, but are

instead causing significant changes in atmospheric composition, land use and land cover, and

water resources.

Our satellites are examining the

global water cycle, including the roles

of precipitation and ice. Understanding

how water cycles through the Earth

system of oceans, atmosphere, land,

and ice is essential for assessing the

future of fresh water availability in the

U.S. Southwest and other thirsty

regions of the globe. NASA is also

studying the seasonal rhythm of terrestrial and marine ecosystems on a global scale for the first time. This view of

the seasonal uptake and release of carbon provides us with new insights into

the role of ecosystems in the carbon

cycle. This research helps us assess the

impact of global change on food and

fiber production.

The FY 2004 budget reflects the

alignment of the Earth System Science

program with the President's call for

action through the U.S. Climate Change

Research Initiative (CCRI). In support

of this effort, we are accelerating the

development and launch of an advanced

polarimeter to increase our understanding of black carbon soot and other

aerosols as causes of climate change.

The Earth Systems Science theme

increases public awareness and understanding of how the Earth functions as a

system, and enables the use of Earth science information and results in teaching

and learning at all levels of education.

We also build capacity for productive

use of Earth science results, technology,

and information in resolving everyday

practical problems via the Earth Science

Applications theme.

Earth System Science employs a

constellation of more than 15 Earth

observing satellites routinely making

measurements with over 80 remote

sensing instruments to observe the

Earth. This information is used to analyze, model, and improve our understanding of the Earth system. 

NASA works with the science community to identify questions on the

frontiers of science that have profound

societal importance, and to which

remote sensing of the Earth can make a

defining contribution. These science

questions become the foundation of a

research strategy, which defines

requirements for scientific observations, and a roadmap for combining the

technology, observations, modeling

efforts, basic research, and partnerships needed to answer the questions

over time. The roadmaps listed below

can be seen at:

http://earth.nasa.gov/roadmaps

 Atmospheric Composition -

Understand the trace constituent

and particulate composition of the

Earth's atmosphere and predict its

future evolution.

 Carbon Cycle, Ecosystems, and

Biogeochemistry - Understand and

predict changes in the Earth's terrestrial and marine ecosystems and

biogeochemical cycles.

 Water & Energy Cycles -

Characterize and predict trends and

changes in the global water and

energy cycles. 

 Earth Surface and Interior Structure

- Utilize state-of-the-art measurements and advanced modeling techniques to understand and predict

changes in the Earth's surface and

interior.

 Climate Variability and Change -

Develop integrated models of the

ocean, air, cryosphere and land surface, and apply to retrospective and
194 NASA SECTION 3

future studies of climate variability

and change.

 Weather - Develop the technology,

observational and modeling capacity needed to improve daily and

extreme weather forecasting (e.g.

hurricanes, tornadoes).

The Earth Science Research Program

at NASA studies the Earth as a whole

system, utilizing measurements made

by Earth satellites, as well as by

Suborbital and Airborne assets. These

observations, enhanced by the work of

the Mission Science Teams and

Algorithm Development activities,

enlarge the Earth system knowledge

base and are incorporated into models

in order to improve our ability to predict climate, weather, and natural hazards. Computing capabilities funded

through the Research Program's

Information Systems effort further

support these improvements. The program also selects and funds over 1,200

U.S. scientific research tasks through

the Research and Analysis activity.

Scientists from seventeen other

nations, funded by their own countries

and collaborating with U.S.

researchers, are also part of the program. These researchers develop Earth

system models from Earth science

data, conduct laboratory and field

experiments, run aircraft campaigns,

develop new instruments, and thus

expand our understanding of our planet. In FY 2004, NASA Earth Science

Research Program will continue to

provide the technology, observations,

and modeling results that contribute

towards the provision of answers to the

questions society poses about our

home planet. Link to project homepage

for more information:

http://www.earth.nasa.gov/

science/index.html.

In the previous fiscal year progress

was made in many areas, Including:

 Polar Ice Sheets: Knowledge about

the ice-covered regions in

Greenland and Antarctica provided

us with the ability to make a quantitative assessment of changes in

ice cover. This knowledge will aide

scientists in their ability to test climate models, and will also improve

our ability to provide assessments

of potentially hazardous changes in

sea level and sea ice distributions.

 Atmospheric Aerosols: The most

comprehensive evaluation of the

global distribution and properties

of atmospheric aerosols became

available in FY 2002. The current

data provides information not just

on aerosol presence, but on the

nature of the aerosol particle,

including whether or not it can have

a net warming or cooling effect on

the local climate, and how it interacts with the climate. Combined

with ground-based data, this information can help scientists understand aerosol impacts on local

weather, agricultural productivity,

and air quality.

 Clouds: NASA made great progress

in linking satellite and in situ measurements of clouds with their

effects on atmospheric radiation.

Detailed in situ observations of

clouds were made during a NASAled campaign in which one airborne

platform used a suite of more than

two dozen instruments to make

comprehensive measurement of

cloud particle properties. The

results should improve information

about cloud particle distributions

and properties, understanding of

satellite remote sensing of clouds,

and characterization of cloud formation in climate models.

 Precipitation Studies: Data from

over six years of operation of the

Tropical Rainfall Measuring

Mission (TRMM) satellite are now

available, and as a result, uncertainty about the global rainfall distribution in the tropics has been reduced

by a factor of two, and our knowledge of the variation in precipitation from year to year has been

enhanced.

The following operating missions

have met prime objectives and are in

extended mission phases.

 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer

(TOMS) 1996-2004

 Upper Atmosphere Research

Satellite (UARS) 1991-2003

 Tropical Rainfall Measuring

Mission (TRMM) 1997-2004

 Earth Radiation Budget Satellite

(ERBS) 1986-2003

 Topex 1992-2003

During FY 2003, NASA launched

two satellite missions, IceSat and

SORCE. The NASA SeaWinds instrument was also launched as part of the

Japanese ADEOS-II satellite mission.

The SeaWinds scatterometer is a specialized microwave radar that measures near-surface wind velocity under

all weather and cloud conditions over

Earth's oceans. It will use a Ku Band

microwave radar with a rotating antenna to determine radar scattering globally and to infer wind velocity (speed

and direction) over 90 percent of the

ice-free ocean surface every two days

with a resolution of 25km. SeaWinds

will acquire all-weather, high-resolution measurements of near-surface

winds over the global oceans. It will

determine atmospheric forcing, ocean

response and will characterize air-sea

interaction mechanisms on various

spatial and temporal scales. SeaWinds

will also combine wind data with

measurements from scientific instruments in other disciplines to understand mechanisms of global climate

change and weather patterns.

SeaWinds will improve weather forecasts near coastlines by using wind

data in numerical weather and wave

prediction models that will also

improve storm warning and monitoring. The SeaWinds missions provide

long-term, high-resolution, ocean surface wind data (both speed and direction) used for studies of ocean circulation, climate and air-sea interaction.

These measurements are crucial to

understanding and predicting severe
SECTION 3 NASA 195

weather patterns and climate changes.

SeaWinds data will increase our

knowledge of global ocean circulation

over inter-annual and decadal time

scales; the effects of hydrological

processes on climate; and the relationship of variations in weather, precipitation, and water resources to climate

variation. This instrument is a followon mission to QuickSCAT and will

continue the data series initiated in

1996 by the NSCAT instrument.

The objectives of the ICESat

mission will be achieved via a

laser altimetry instrument, the

Geoscience Laser Altimeter

System (GLAS), which is an

Nd:YAG laser with 1064 and

532 nm output. The instrument

was placed into a 600 km, 94°

inclination orbit by a Delta II

(Model 7320) Expendable

Launch Vehicle (ELV) in

January 2003. The spacecraft

accommodates the GLAS

instrument, which has a mass of

less than 300kg and power

capacity of 330 W. The ICESat

and GLAS instrument have a

design lifetime of 3 years. The

Ice, Clouds and land Elevation

Satellite (ICESat) Project provides a subset of the EOS measurements, primarily land ice and

sea ice products, for which an

orbit is required that maximizes

polar coverage over the ice

sheets. The primary objective of

the ICESat mission is to measure ice sheet height and volume change

for long-term climate variability studies, providing a 3-year data set of ice

sheet topography. The Ice, Cloud and

Elevation Satellite (ICESat) will measure changes in Earth's ice sheets to

support long-term climate variability

studies, providing a 3-year data set of

ice sheet topography. ICESat will also

measure height profiles of clouds and

aerosols, land elevations and vegetation cover, and approximate sea ice

thickness. The continuous satellite

observations will detect interannual

changes in the surface mass balance

and determine whether they are due to

recent or long-term changes in climate.

The Solar Radiation and Climate

Experiment (SORCE) will provide

measurements of the Sun's energy

input (including x ray, ultraviolet, visible, near-infared, and total solar radiation) to the Earth's atmosphere. The

measurements provided by SORCE

specifically address long-term climate

change, natural variability and

enhanced climate prediction, and

atmospheric ozone and UV-B radiation. These measurements are critical

to studies of the Sun, its effect on our

Earth system, and its influence on

humankind. SORCE measures the

Sun's output with the use of radiometers, spectrometers, photodiodes,

detectors, and bolometers engineered

into instruments mounted on a satellite

observatory. Spectral measurements

identify the irradiance of the Sun by

characterizing the Sun's energy and

emissions in the form of color that can

then be translated into quantities and

elements of matter. Data obtained by

the SORCE experiment will be used to

model the Sun's output and to explain

and predict the effect of the Sun's radiation on the Earth's atmosphere and

climate. The Total Solar Irradiance

(TSI) measurement is a continuation of

the first space-borne measurements begun by Nimbus 7 in

1978. Currently, three spacecraft are sustaining the TSI

database: ACRIMSAT, the

Upper Atmosphere Research

Satellite (UARS), and the

Solar Heliospheric Observer

(SOHO) a Space Science mission. Continued and uninterrupted population and monitoring of the TSI data set will

provide insight into the role of

solar forcing on long-term climate changes. These measurements will continue the spectrally resolved solar irradiance

measurements being made

from UARS since 1991, as

well as earlier missions for TSI

measurements, and will add

additional capability. They will

be used to further understand

the effects of solar variability

on long-term global climate

change and influences on the

stratospheric ozone layer.

Additionally, the spectral

measurements in the 200-300 nm and

1,500 nm spectral regions will fulfill

the NPOESS operational requirements

as part of a tri-agency partnership

among NASA, NOAA, and DOD.

Major planned events in FY 2004

include launches of Aura, Cloudsat and

Calipso satellites. Aura will study

Earth's ozone, air quality, and climate.

Cloudsat will measure the structure of

clouds to better quantify their key role

in the Earth's water cycle and climate

system. Calipso, with Aura and the
196 NASA SECTION 3

advanced polarimeter, will study the

role of aerosols in climate, reducing

uncertainties in climate models.

Satellite observations will be used to

provide daily and seasonal global

atmospheric water vapor, rainfall,

snowfall, sea-ice, and ice-sheet maps.

These observations will be made with

the intention of improving the scientific understanding and models of water

cycle through the Earth system.

NASA will also use satellite-derived

localized temperature and moisture

profiles, with unprecedented accuracy and global coverage, to

improve predictive capabilities of

regional weather models.

Aura is the third major satellite in the Earth Observing

System constellation. The

first and second missions,

Terra (Figure 3-NASA-1)

and Aqua, are designed to

study the land, oceans,

and the Earth's radiation

budget. Aura's chemistry

measurements will follow up on measurements

which NASA pioneered

with its Nimbus 7 satellite (1978), continued

with NASA's Upper

Atmosphere Research

Satellite (1991), and the

Total Ozone Mapping

Spectrometer (TOMS) series of

missions. The satellite will be

launched in January 2004 and operate

for five or more years. The Aura mission will study the Earth's ozone, air

quality, and climate, providing answers

to the following questions: (1) Is the

ozone layer, which shields us from the

Sun's ultraviolet radiation, recovering?

The release of chlorofluorocarbons

(CFC's) has caused a dramatic

decrease in the ozone layer during the

last two decades, especially over

Earth's polar regions, but detection of

stratospheric ozone depletion led to the

regulation and phasing-out of CFC

production worldwide. (2) Is global

air quality getting worse? The chemistry of Earth's lower atmosphere, the

troposphere, is changing. At this level

of the atmosphere, ozone pollution, an

extremely toxic byproduct of agricultural burning, deforestation, urban

activity, and industry, is increasing

worldwide. (3) How is Earth's climate

changing? Ozone and water vapor in

the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere are important "greenhouse

gases," playing a significant role in

regulating our climate. Understanding

how water vapor and ozone vary will

reveal how these constituents moderate

global temperature increases.

CloudSat is designed to measure the

vertical structure of clouds from space.

This satellite will fly a millimeterwave (94 GHz) radar that is capable of

seeing a large fraction of clouds and

precipitation, from very thin cirrus

clouds to thunderstorms producing

heavy precipitation. CloudSat will furnish data needed to evaluate and

improve the way clouds are represented in global models, thereby contributing to better predictions of clouds and

a more complete knowledge of their

role in climate change.

It is a collaborative

mission among

NASA, the Canadian

Space Agency (CSA),

and the U.S. Air Force.

CSA is contributing

instrument components and the U.S. Air

Force is contributing

ground operations.

Cloudsat will answer the

following science question: What are the effects

of clouds and surface

hydrologic processes on

Earth's climate? Clouds are

the key component of the

Earth's hydrological cycle,

and they dominate the planet's

solar and thermal radiation

budgets. Even small changes in

their abundance or distribution

could significantly alter the climate. These considerations lead

scientists to believe that the main

uncertainties in climate model

simulations are due to the difficulties in adequately representing

clouds and their radiative properties.

The observations made by this satellite will improve cloud modeling, contributing to better predictions of cloud

formation and distribution and to a better understanding of the role of clouds

in Earth's climate system.

The Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and

Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) mission will address

the role of clouds and aerosols in the

Earth's radiation budget, providing key

measurements to improve climate predictions. Climate models predict a significant global warming in response to

Figure 3-NASA-1. EOS TERRA satellite captures the extent of Hurricane Isabels impact

on the East Coast on September 18, 2004 
SECTION 3 NASA 197

the rising concentrations of carbon

dioxide and other greenhouse gases in

the atmosphere, but uncertainties in the

modeled radiative effects of aerosols

(small suspended particles) and clouds

contribute to the overall uncertainty in

the predictions of the climate models.

Current predictive capabilities must be

improved to enable policy makers to

reach balanced decisions on mitigation

strategies. The mission will fly a

3-channel lidar (a laser) in formation

with Aqua and CloudSat to obtain

coincident observations of radiative

fluxes and the atmosphere. This set of

measurements is essential for quantification of global aerosol and cloud

radiative effects. CALIPSO consists of

a partnership between NASA and

France's Centre Nationale D'Etudes

Spatiale (CNES). CNES is providing a

PROTEUS spacecraft, the imaging

infrared radiometer (IIR) and spacecraft mission operations. This mission

will improve our ability to predict the

future state of Earth's climate.

Together, CALIPSO and Aqua provide: (1) a global measurement suite

from which the first observationallybased estimates of aerosol direct radiative forcing of climate can be made,

(2) a dramatically improved empirical

basis for assessing aerosol indirect

radiative forcing of climate, (3) a factor of 2 improvement in the accuracy

of satellite estimates of long-wave

radiative fluxes at the Earth's surface

and in the atmosphere, and (4) a new

ability to assess cloud-radiation feedback in the climate system. CALIPSO

is co-manifested with CloudSat and is

scheduled to launch no earlier than

October 2004.

As mentioned earlier, the Earth

System Science employs a constellation of more than 15 Earth observing

satellites routinely making measurements with over 80 remote sensing

instruments to observe the Earth.

These instruments are providing

important measurements to understand

how the land, oceans, atmosphere, ice

caps, and life forms interact as a system in influencing climate change. The

unprecedented volume of data coming

down is being collected, processed,

and distributed by NASA's EOS Data

and Information System (EOSDIS).

EOSDIS manages data from NASA's

Earth science research satellites and

field measurement programs, providing data archiving, distribution, and

information management services.

OSDIS commands and controls EOS

satellites and instruments, and generates useful products from orbital observations. EOSDIS success criteria are to

successfully support the ground operations of the EOS missions: Terra,

Aqua, Aura, and ICESat, including

spacecraft and instrument control, data

acquisition, and telemetry processing;

to operate the eight Distributed Active

Archive Centers, which archive and

distribute the data; and to support science investigator-led processing. The

success criteria are to add the additional capabilities for new missions in an

evolutionary manner, incorporating

applicable new technologies that result

in cost-effective operations. It supports

the development and evolution of new

and existing science data processing,

archiving, and distribution functions.

EOSDIS Development also supports

new Earth Science Enterprise missions

and the evolution of existing systems

to support new missions. Specifically,

it will support the Enterprise approach

for the next decade, the Strategic

Evolution of ESE Data Systems

(SEEDS), currently being formulated.

EOSDIS Development also supports

the evolution of TRMM's processing

system to an integrated Precipitation

Processing System, capable of handling global precipitation data, as a

SEEDS prototype. It will support the

science data system development for
198 NASA SECTION 3

new missions including

the NPOESS Prep Project

(NPP) (Figure 3-NASA-2).

The Earth Science

Enterprise formed the

Earth Science

Technology Office

(ESTO) to provide strategic, science driven technology assessments and

the development of

requirements. ESTO integrates and prioritizes

these requirements

among various implementing programs and

projects by maintaining a

link between science/

applications objectives

and technology investments. ESTO aggressively pursues promising scientific and engineering

concepts and ensures that

the program maintains an

effective balance of

instrument and information systems investments.

ESTO implements the

ESE focused technology

program, which includes:

the Instrument Incubator

Program (IIP) to develop new instruments and measurement techniques at

the system level; Advanced

Technology Initiatives (ATI), which

develop technologies required for next

generation, space-based missions;

Advanced Information Systems

Technology (AIST), to develop end-toend information technologies for

future missions; Computational

Technologies (CT), to develop and

apply high performance computing

technologies for Earth and space science; and Advanced Platform

Technology (APT). The New

Millennium Program (NMP) validates

innovative measurement concepts,

enabling instrument technologies, and

space platform technologies required

for future missions. The focused technology program also supports

Integrated Product Development

Teams. ESTO will leverage technology

investments through internal NASA

program synergy and external partnerships. These efforts will include:

Information Systems (IS), Small

Business Innovative Research (SBIR),

Space Based Technology (SBT),

NASA Institute of Advanced Concepts

(NIAC), Revolutionary Aero Space

Concepts (RASC), and other agencies'

(e.g., DOD) programs.

SPACE WEATHER

The Living With A Star (LWS)

Program (Figure 3-NASA-3) addresses the linkage between three fundamental questions of the NASA solarterrestrial physics programs the Sun

Earth Connection (SEC)

program:

 How and why does

the sun vary?

 How does the Earth

respond to solar

variations?

 How does solar variability affect life and

society?

The SEC Program

strives to understand the

physical processes and

connections that control

the dynamics of the SunEarth connected system.

The system dynamics are

driven by violent solar

bursts, long term solar

variability, and instabilities of the magnetized

Earth-space, geospace.

LWS is grounded in service to humanity and it's

technological systems. It

is based on solving the

specific problem of being

able to predict solar variations and the effects of

those variations on

humanity and human systems. LWS will integrate

results from existing and future space

missions as they contribute to the SEC

system level goals. The program is

based on providing the understanding

necessary to predict what will happen

where and when to the heliosphere,

geospace, and Earth's climate given

observations of conditions on the Sun.

While both existing SEC programs

and LWS are basic research, there are

some significant differences in concept

and approach. The primary difference

is that in addition to the traditional

input from the space science community, LWS derives requirements from

Earth science, human spaceflight,

industry and other federal agencies

(National Space Weather Program,

Office of the Secretary of Defense

Space Weather Architecture, DOD,

Figure 3-NASA-2. Artists concept of NPOESS orbiter.
SECTION 3 NASA 199

NOAA, FAA). The LWS Program has

characteristic features: there is a significant component that deals with

specification models; what is the environment as a function of space and

time. This is an important need for

industry that must build spacecraft that

survive, and to provide anomaly resolution. There is a need for human

spaceflight radiation protection.

Finally, there is the issue of prediction,

which is the more traditional science.

The program priorities are (numbers

indicate priority rank):

(1) Solar influences on Global

Change: Global change is the single

most important environmental problem facing humanity. This issue

involves major national and international policies because of the potential

economic impacts of global change

and/or mitigation actions. Objectives:

 Determine how and why the Sun

varies (for assessment of past and

future role in global climate

change).

 Identify and understand mechanisms by which solar variability

affects terrestrial climate (and possibly weather).

(2) Space environmental "climate"

data (e.g., specification models):

 Needed for design of cost-effective

systems with minimal or no sensitivity to space weather.

 The goal is to have economical "all

weather" systems; not to be

dependent on predictions.

(3) Nowcasting space environment:

 For rapid anomaly resolution for

space and communication/navigation systems--if an anomaly is due

to a known space environmental

effect, it is often possible to get

back into operation rapidly. If it is

due to an unknown cause, it may be

necessary to do detailed failure

analysis--requiring extended downtime of the affected system.

 Astronauts safety--in the event of

significant radiation, astronauts can

move to shielded areas.

(4) Prediction of:

 Solar Proton Events (astronaut/airline flight safety). Goals: (a) reliable warnings (minimize false

alarm rate) and (b) reliable forecast

of "all clear" periods for EVA's.

 Prediction of geomagnetic storms

for applications where effective

mitigation is possible (e.g. electric

power grid). Goals--reliable forecasts (storm is coming) and very

reliable shorter term (~hour) warnings to minimize unnecessary mitigation by reducing capacity, etc.

which can reduce system efficiency.

 Predictions of space environment

for operation and utilization of

space systems. Goals: (a) reliably

forecast availability/accuracy/sensitivity of communication and navigation systems susceptible to

space weather (e.g., ionospheric

scintillations) and (b) enable optimization of systems and the allocation of resources during times of

extreme space weather conditions.

In summary, LWS will characterize

the space environment with the aim

being to help spacecraft designers and

operators, and address astronaut health

and safety. LWS will produce the system knowledge to predict solar effects

on climate, and solar/geospace effects

on human systems in space and on the

ground.

The approach to achieving our goals

is to treat the Sun, heliosphere, and geospace as a system. The key to dealing

with the problem as a system is to

understand that physics-based models

will be the "glue" that holds the system

together. It is assumed that ultimately

reliable and serviceable models combined with key observations of the SEC

system will allow the prediction of what

will happen--where and when. Model

requirements will drive what observations are needed for boundary conditions and "truth" tests of the models.

The present approach to implementing a systems-based program is to

define the management structure along

scientific problem lines. The space

environment research area includes the

effects of solar variability on climate

and global change as well as specification of radiation and density models.

The space storms area includes the

specification of the environment on a

more real-time or nowcasting and

event basis. Included as well is the

ultimate goal of the LWS, the physical

understanding of the end-to-end SunEarth system, enabling reliable predictive capability of storm effects. The

program has the following elements:

(1) a Space Weather Research Network

Figure 3-NASA-3. NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center hosts a web site for

the Living With A Star program (http://lws.gsfc.nasa.gov/).
200 NASA SECTION 3

of solar-terrestrial spacecraft; (2) a theory, modeling, and data analysis program; and (3) Space Environment

Testbeds (SET) for flight testing radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant

systems in the Earth's space environment. Vital to the success of LWS and

critical to the satisfaction of national

needs is the development of partnerships with national and international

agencies and industry.

Implementation of LWS will proceed

in two phases. The first phase will

include: (1) a geosynchronous spacecraft that will observe the Sun from its

interior (via helioseismology techniques) to the outermost extensions of

its atmosphere where solar activity

produces the variable solar output of

electromagnetic radiation, solar wind,

and energetic particles, and (2) the

Geospace Mission, a set of spacecraft

to understand geospace as a function of

time and the effects of solar events and

local instabilities on its evolution. The

second phase will add a set of heliospheric spacecraft to determine the state

of the solar wind and the propagation

of events.

AVIATION SAFETY PROGRAM

NASA's Aviation Safety Program is

aggressively pursuing several areas

that will provide weather information,

avoidance, and mitigation technologies, and education and training aids.

The following elements are included:

 Aviation Weather Information

(AWIN) develops technologies that

provide high fidelity, timely, and

intuitive information to pilots to

enable the detection and avoidance

of atmospheric hazards

(Figure 3-NASA-4).

 Weather Information Communications (WINCOM) develops

advanced communication technologies and architectural concepts to

provide weather information,

avoidance, and mitigation technologies, icing design and analysis

tools, icing education and training

aids, and accurate and timely

weather information to the cockpit

for both national and international

flight.

 Turbulence Prediction and Warning

System (TPAWS) develops airborne turbulence warning systems

and associated crew procedures to

mitigate upsets from all types of

turbulence encounters, including

clear air turbulence (CAT).

 Aircraft Icing (AI) addresses critical technology gaps in ice prediction, detection, avoidance, and mitigation capability to reduce safety

hazards, aviation system throughput impacts, cost of air travel, and

design cycle time.

The project will:

 develop validated analytical and

experimental tools for design and

certification/qualification of aircraft systems in icing; 

 develop improved predictions,

forecasting, and resolution of inflight icing conditions;

Figure 3-NASA-4. NASA and aviation industry vendors have

developed an initial Aviation Weather Information (AWIN) system which is graphical and intuitive for ease of use. Designed to

replace bulky, text printouts, AWIN will put graphical weather

information in the cockpit.
SECTION 3 NASA 201

 better understand the effects of ice

contamination on aircraft performance, stability and control, and handling qualities;

 develop ice protection systems,

including ice sensing, prevention,

and removal;

 develop methods for avoiding inflight icing hazardous conditions

by using remote sensing technologies and flight deck information

management; and

 develop icing related educational

materials and training aids for

pilots, airline operators, and dispatchers.

Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS):

NASA is developing "synthetic" (electronically enhanced) vision for the

pilot (Figure 3-NASA-5). It combines

a very detailed worldwide terrain map

(obtained from Space Shuttle mapping

missions), precise GPS navigation

data, and integrity-monitoring sensors

to provide a 3-dimensional, realistic

view of the world through a cockpit

head-up-display (HUD) or instrument

panel-mounted display. The pilot will

look through the HUD as he or she

looks out the window. This seethrough HUD will make the world

look like a bright sunny day even when

the airplane is approaching a fogged-in

airport at midnight--one that would be

shut down under today's operating

rules. NASA believes that improving

the pilot's situational awareness will

largely eliminate controlled-flightinto-terrain (CFIT) and runway incursion accidents. NASA is also evaluating the use of modified weather radar

and FLIR for runway object detection.

Limited visibility is the single most

critical factor affecting both the safety

and capacity of worldwide aviation

operations. In commercial aviation,

over 30 percent of all fatal accidents

worldwide, and the leading cause of

total fatalities, are categorized as controlled flight into terrain -- accidents in

which a functioning aircraft impacts

terrain or obstacles that the flight crew

could not see. In addition, the largest

general aviation accident category is

'Continued Flight into Instrument

Meteorological Conditions', in which

low-experience pilots continue to fly

into deteriorating weather and visibility

conditions and either collide with unexpected terrain or lose control of the

Figure 3-NASA-5. Four examples of synthetic vision systems which enhance a pilots vision through heads-up displays.
202 NASA SECTION 3

vehicle because of the lack of familiar

external cues. The goal of the synthetic vision work is to achieve VMC capability in IMC (to Category IIIB).

GENERAL AVIATION

NASA's Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) research program will demonstrate technology to

safely guide a small aircraft in near allweather conditions to virtually any

small airport in non-radar, non-towered airspace (Figure 3-NASA-6). The

elements are:

 Higher Volume Operation at NonTowered/Non-Radar Airports will

enable simultaneous operations by

multiple aircraft in non-radar airspace at and around small non-towered airports in near all weather

conditions through the use of vehicle-to-vehicle collaborative

sequencing and self-separation

algorithms and automated flight

path management systems.

 Lower Landing Minimums at

Minimally Equipped Landing

Facilities will provide precision

approach and landing guidance,

through the use of graphical flight

path guidance and artificial vision,

to any touchdown zone at any landing facility while avoiding land

acquisition and approach lighting

costs, as well as ground-based precision guidance systems, such as ILS.

 Increase Single-pilot crew Safety

and Mission Reliability will

increase single-pilot safety, precision, and mission completion

through the use of human-centered

automation, intuitive and easy to

follow flight path guidance superimposed on a depiction of the outside world, software enabled flight

controls, and onboard flight planning/management systems.

 En Route Procedures and Systems

for Integrated Fleet Operations will

provide an analytical assessment of

the impact of automated flight path

management systems designed to

facilitate operations at non-towered

airports and in non-radar airspace

on the integration of SATS

equipped aircraft into the higher en

route air traffic flows and controlled terminal airspace.

Figure 3-NASA-6. General Aviation cockpit display of weather information.
Within the NRC, the Office of

Nuclear Reactor Regulation and the

Office of Nuclear Material Safety

and Safeguards conduct reviews of

nuclear facility siting, design, construction, and operation. These

reviews include consideration of

meteorological factors. The two

offices also conduct rulemaking to

establish regulatory requirements.

The NRC Regional Offices assure

that licensing conditions are followed by NRC licensees. Together

with the NRC Incident Response

Operations, they also carry out NRC

responses to nuclear facility emergencies.

The Office of Nuclear Regulatory

Research (RES) conducts research in

various categories to identify potential safety issues, and to prepare the

agency to regulate the use of new

technology. RES also develops regulatory guidance and participates in

the development of criteria and consensus standards related to the protection of the public health and safety and the environment.

At the present time, the NRC is a

user of meteorological information,

rather than performing research in

this field. Meteorological data will

be used to assess radiological

impacts of routine airborne releases

from facilities and to evaluate the

impact of proposed changes in plant

design or operation on unplanned

releases. Information of this type is

also important for developing scenarios of climatological impacts on

the isolation of long-lived nuclear

wastes. The NRC also maintains an

interest in the transport and dispersion of airborne, hazardous, nonradioactive materials, and the effects

of extreme meteorological events on

the safe operation of nuclear facilities.

NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WEATHER PROGRAMS

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licenses and regulates all nuclear facilities

subject to the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 as amended. The licensing and operation of these nuclear

facilities require the identification of meteorological and climatological conditions that can affect the

safe operation of the facility, and that provide input to the assessment of the radiological impacts of any

airborne releases from the facility.

SECTION 3 NRC 203

Figure 3-NRC-1. NRC regulates commercial nuclear power plants. The

photo shows an operating nuclear plant

with water vapor rising from the cooling tower on a calm day.
The Division of Atmospheric

Sciences manages NSF's basic atmospheric research support. This research

focuses on new and fundamental

knowledge needed to better understand

the atmosphere and related sciences

and to manage atmospheric science

programs including natural disaster

reduction, space weather, global

change, and air quality.

Natural Disaster Reduction. NSF

supports two interagency programs

under natural disaster reduction and

mitigation: the United States Weather

Research Program (USWRP) and the

National Space Weather Program

(NSWP).

The USWRP is an interagency effort

to perform the research and technology

transfer needed to improve the delivery

of weather services to the country.

NSF supports fundamental and applied

research to meet the USWRP objectives. Initial foci are:

 better understanding and forecasting of hurricane track and intensity;

 better quantitative precipitation

forecasting;

 optimal use of observations in

numerical models; and 

 the societal/economic impacts of

improved weather information.

The total research support for FY 2003

was approximately $14 million. In

FY 2004, support of this research is

also expected to be $14 million.

The objective of the NSWP is to perform the research and technology

transfer needed to improve the specification and forecasts of space weather

events that can cause disruption and

failure of space-borne and groundbased technological systems and can

endanger human health. Participating

agencies are: NSF, NASA, NOAA,

Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA), Department of Defense (DOD)

-Air Force and Navy's ONR,

Department of Energy, and

Department of the Interior. In

FY 2003, NSF provided $14 million.

The total funding for FY 2004 is

expected to be the same.

Global Change. Under the United

States Global Change Research

Program (USGCRP), NSF programs

support research and related activities

that advance fundamental understanding of dynamic physical, biological,

and socioeconomic systems as well as

interactions among those systems. In

addition to research on Earth system

processes and the consequences of

changes in those systems, NSF programs facilitate data acquisition and

data management activities necessary

for basic research on global change,

promote the enhancement of modeling

designed to improve representations of

Earth system interactions, and develop

advanced analytic methods to facilitate

fundamental research. NSF also supports fundamental social and economic

research on the general processes used

by governments and other organizations to identify and evaluate different

types of policies for mitigation, adaptation, and other responses to changing

global environmental conditions. The

total NSF FY 2003 USGCRP funding

was $186.85 million; in FY 2004,

funding is expected to be level. The

Division of Atmospheric Sciences

USGCRP funding for FY 2003 was

$44.0 million with FY 2004 funding

expected to be level also.

Air Quality. NSF supported fundamental research in the area of air quality helps develop improved understanding of the sources, formation, and

atmospheric processing of ambient air

pollutants. Atmospheric oxidant

species (and their precursors), sulfur

dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon

monoxide, fine particles, and acid deposition (and its precursors) are important atmospheric constituents that

influence air quality. Field experiments, laboratory studies, instrumentation development, new methods of

chemical analysis, and improved models of atmospheric chemical transport

and depositional phenomena are examples of air quality research supported

by NSF. These categories provide scientific and technical input for management and control of atmospheric pollutant gases and particles. NSF funding

for FY 2003 was $1.75 million and is

expected to stay the same for FY 2004.

NOTE: NSF budget data is not captured in Tables 2.1-2.5.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the Federal Government established to promote and advance scientific and engineering progress. The NSF sponsors and funds scientific and engineering research and education projects and supports cooperative research to gain new

understanding of the behavior of the Earth's atmosphere and oceans. NSF does not itself conduct

research but funds research performed by scientists at universities and other entities. In addition, NSF

provides support for the maintenance and operation of the National Center for Atmospheric Research

(NCAR) which is devoted to large-scale atmospheric research projects conducted in cooperation with universities and

other federal, state and/or local organizations. 

SECTION 3 NSF 205
APPENDIX A

MISSION AND STAFFING OF THE

OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL COORDINATOR FOR METEOROLOGY

The mission of the OFCM is to

ensure the effective use of federal

meteorological resources by leading

the systematic coordination of operational weather requirements and services, and supporting research, among

the federal agencies. To discharge its

mission, OFCM has meshed its objectives with the objectives of the agencies that provide the services and perform the research. 

These objectives include:

 Documenting agency programs and

activities in a series of national

plans and reports that enable agencies to revise/adjust their individual

ongoing programs and provide a

means for communicating new

ideas and approaches to fulfill

requirements.

 Providing structure and programs

to promote continuity in the development and coordination of interagency plans and procedures for

meteorological services and supporting research activities.

 Preparing analyses, summaries, or

evaluations of agency meteorological programs and plans that provide

a factual basis for the Executive

and Legislative branches to make

appropriate decisions related to the

allocation of funds.

 Reviewing federal weather programs and federal requirements for

meteorological services and supporting research. This review may

suggest additions or revisions to

current or proposed programs, or

identify opportunities for improved

efficiency, reliability, or cost avoidance through coordinated actions or

integrated programs.

DOC currently has ten positions

assigned to OFCM. DOC also provides administrative support to OFCM

and approximately one-half of

OFCMs annual operating budget. The

Department of Defense (DOD) currently provides two senior staff officers--one Air Force and one Navy--and

contributes approximately one-fourth

of the annual operating budget. The

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Federal Aviation Administration

(FAA) provides one professional staff

member and also provides approximately one-fourth of the annual operating budget. These three agency representatives are designated Assistant

Federal Coordinators for liaison to

their respective agencies. In all, 13

meteorologists, oceanographers, physical scientists, and administrative and

computer-support personnel are

assigned to the OFCM staff.

BASIS FOR FEDERAL COORDINATION PROCESS

In 1963, Congress and the Executive Office of the President expressed concern about the adequacy of coordination of

federal meteorological activities. In response, Congress directed in Section 304 of Public Law 87-843--the

Appropriations Act for State, Justice, Commerce, and Related Agencies--that the Bureau of the Budget prepare an annual horizontal budget for all meteorological programs in the federal agencies.

The Bureau of the Budget (now the Office of Management and Budget) issued a report entitled "Survey of Federal

Meteorological Activities" (1963). The report described each agency's program in some detail, particularly its operational services, and detailed the relationship between the programs of the various agencies. The report revealed close

cooperation but little evidence of systematic coordination. Based on this study, the Bureau of the Budget issued a set

of ground rules to be followed in the coordination process. It established a permanent general philosophy for assignment and assessment of agency roles in the field of meteorology and set certain goals to be achieved by the coordination process. The Bureau of the Budget tasked the Department of Commerce (DOC) to establish the coordinating mechanism in concert with the other federal agencies. It also reaffirmed the concept of having a central agency--the

DOC--responsible for providing common meteorological facilities and services and clarified the responsibilities of

other agencies for providing meteorological services specific to their own needs.

The implementation of these directives by DOC led to the creation of the Office of the Federal Coordinator for

Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM) which operates with policy guidance from the Federal

Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research. The principal work in the coordination of meteorological activities and in the preparation and maintenance of federal plans is accomplished by the OFCM staff with the

advice and assistance of the Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research, and

over 30 program councils, committees, working groups, and joint action groups.

FEDERAL COORDINATION AND PLANNING

APPENDIX A 207
208 APPENDIX A

NATURALDISASTER REDUCTION

Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference.

OFCM annually hosts the

Interdepartmental Hurricane

Conference (IHC) to provide a forum

for the responsible Federal agencies,

together with representatives of the

user communities such as emergency

management, to review the Nation's

hurricane forecast and warning program and to make recommendations

on how to improve the program in the

future. The 57th IHC was held in

Miami, Florida, March 10-14, 2003.

The theme for the conference was The

Nation's Hurricane Warning ProgramStreamlining the Roadmap for the

Future. Dr. James R. Mahoney,

Assistant Secretary of Commerce for

Oceans and Atmosphere and Deputy

NOAA Administrator, provided the

keynote address. The conference

began with a review of the 2002 tropical cyclone season in the Atlantic

Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean

Sea, and the Pacific Ocean, followed

by sessions on: (1) Observing and

Reconnaissance Technologies;

(2) Hurricane Modeling and

Prediction; (3) Tropical Cyclone

Hazards, Impacts, and Products;

(4) The National Hurricane ProgramWhere the Rubber Meets the Road;

and (5) Transitioning Research to

Operations including H*Wind-Making

the Transition to Operations and Joint

Hurricane Testbed. Workshops and a

forecaster/operations forum were conducted to reinforce and build upon the

topics addressed during the sessions

and action items from recent conferences. The Working Group for

Hurricane and Winter Storms

Operations and Research met to work

on IHC action items and changes to the

National Hurricane Operations Plan

(NHOP). The 41st edition of the

NHOP provides the basis for hurricane

reconnaissance for the 2003 season

and details responsibilities of Federal

agencies; operations and procedures;

products; aircraft, satellite, radar, and

buoy data collection; and marine

weather broadcasts. A tour of the

National Hurricane Center/Joint

Hurricane Testbed was also conducted. 

Several major accomplishments that

have resulted from specific action

items that were brought to the IHC or

have been achieved through the partnership arrangements facilitated by the

IHC include: implementation of the 5-

day hurricane forecast; development of

the Stepped Frequency Microwave

Radiometer; improved capability

because of use of Global Positioning

System dropwindsondes; improved

hurricane modeling and prediction;

increased focus on inland flooding; the

successful partnering with the Federal

Emergency Management Agency

through the Hurricane Liaison Team;

improved preparedness, response and

outreach to the public through

Hurricane Awareness Week; support to

the Joint Hurricane Testbed; partnership between IHC and The Weather

Channel; and increased outreach to

other Federal agencies. 

National Hurricane Conference.

OFCM participated in the 25th Annual

National Hurricane Conference (NHC)

in New Orleans, Louisiana, April 14-

18, 2003. The theme of the NHC was

Where We Have Been and Where We

Are Going in Forecasting and

Emergency Preparedness and

Response. The NHC is the Nation's

forum for education and professional

training in hurricane preparedness.

There were approximately 1,300 attendees representing a large cross section

of the hurricane emergency planning,

response, and recovery communities,

including emergency managers; fire

and law enforcement officials; engineers; meteorologists and geographers;

volunteer agency representatives; and

city and county commissioners, manThe Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (FCMSSR),

established in 1964, provides policylevel agency representation and guidance to the Federal Coordinator to

address agency priorities, requirements, and issues related to services,

operations, and supporting research,

and also resolves agency differences

that arise during the coordination of

meteorological activities and the

preparation of federal plans. The

Under Secretary of Commerce for

Oceans and Atmosphere, who is also

the Administrator of the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), serves as the

FCMSSR Chair.

The 15 federal agencies that engage

in meteorological activities or have a

need for meteorological services are

represented on FCMSSR. The

FCMSSR membership includes:

DOC, DOD, DOT, the Departments of

Agriculture (USDA), Energy (DOE),

Homeland Security (DHS), Interior

(DOI), and State (DOS), and the

Environmental Protection Agency

(EPA), National Aeronautics and

Space Administration (NASA),

National Science Foundation (NSF),

National Transportation Safety Board

(NTSB), Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC), the Office of

Science and Technology Policy

(OSTP), and the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB).

HIGHLIGHTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2002

AND PLANS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2003

FEDERAL COMMITTEE FOR METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

AND SUPPORTING RESEARCH
APPENDIX A 209

agers, and planners. OFCM and the

Federal Emergency Management

Agency conducted a Training

Workshop on April 14th. The workshop theme was Risk AssessmentCharacterizing the Impact of

Hurricanes and Inland Flooding to

Help Emergency Managers and the

Public Deal with the Risks They Face.

The training workshop was divided

into two panels: (1) the role of Federal

statutes, policies, and procedures in

dealing with environmental threats and

risks, and (2) operational and emerging

decision-making programs, tools, and

techniques for risk management and

assessment. Panelists included the

Staff Director for Senator John B.

Breaux of Louisiana and the Chief of

Operations for Congressman W.J.

"Billy" Tauzin of Louisiana's 3rd

District, who both had special interest

in storm surge and coastal erosion

issues.

Post-Storm Data Acquisition. The

OFCM-sponsored Working Group for

Natural Disaster Reduction/Post-Storm

Data Acquisition coordinated efforts

to: 

 Examine the devastation following

the landfall of Hurricane Lili along

the coast of Louisiana in

October 2002;

 Survey tornado damage in the Fort

Wayne, Indiana, and the Knoxville,

Tennessee, areas in

November 2002;

 Survey tornado damage in southwest Georgia (Mitchell and Worth

Counties) in March 2003;

 Survey tornado damage in northern, central, and southern Arkansas

in April 2003;

 Survey tornado damage in western

Tennessee, Wyandotte County in

Kansas, Platte and Clay Counties

in Missouri, the Springfield area in

Missouri, the Paducah area in

Kentucky, the Madison, Heard,

Coweta, Troup, and Meriwether

Counties in Georgia, areas in

southeast Missouri, southern

Illinois, and western Kentucky, and

Lewis County, Kentucky in

May 2003;

 Survey tornado damage in the

Sioux Falls area in South Dakota in

June 2003; and

 Survey the tornado/flood event

which occurred across southwest

and central Minnesota in

June 2003. 

Aerial photography support was provided by the Air Force's Civil Air

Patrol. The support provided by the

Civil Air Patrol, which was negotiated

by the working group and documented

in a memorandum of understanding,

has proven to be both timely and very

cost effective. OFCM also served as a

conduit between agencies for information and contacts for post-storm data

gathering for Hurricane Isabel in

September 2003. These post-storm

efforts contribute to the determination

of the intensity and magnitude of

storms, and in many cases help to

determine the extent of damage for use

in Presidential disaster declarations.

The additional data collected after hurricane landfall is also used in validating modeling efforts with both emergency management models (e.g.,

FEMA's HAZUS) and hurricane storm

surge models (e.g., NOAA's SLOSH).

These models are used in real-time to

assist decision makers in evacuation

decisions and procedures. Post-storm

data are also used to update FEMA

Flood Insurance Rate Maps. OFCM

also published the National Post-Storm

Data Acquisition Plan in March 2003. 

FEDERAL COMMITTEE

FOR METEOROLOGICAL

SERVICES AND

SUPPORTING RESEARCH.

The Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (FCMSSR) met

on October 18, 2002, at the White

House Conference Center in

Washington, D.C. The meeting was

chaired by VADM Conrad C.

Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.), Under

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans

and Atmosphere and NOAA

Administrator. Items considered

include Environmental Support to

Homeland Security, Climate Change

Research Initiative, Phased Array

Weather Radar Project, Weather

Information for Surface Transportation, and Integrated Global Observing

System. Actions resulting from the

meeting include conducting an interagency forum on Environmental

Support to Homeland Security, and

agency support for the development

and expansion of the Washington,

D.C., Dispersion Testbed; support to

the Climate Change Research Initiative

and the U.S. Climate Change Science

Program-Planning Workshop for

Scientists and Stakeholders; expansion

of agency participation in the Phased

Array Weather Radar Project; and publication of the report Weather

Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPORT

TO HOMELAND SECURITY

George Mason University Transport

and Dispersion Modeling Conference/

OFCM Special Session. George

Mason University (GMU), Fairfax,

Virginia, conducted its 7th Annual

Conference on Transport and

Dispersion Modeling, June 17-18, 2003.

The conference was cosponsored by

the Defense Threat Reduction Agency

(DTRA). It included presentations

addressing recent advances and ongoing research and development with

regard to urban scale modeling and

dispersion, urban scale experiments,

boundary layer modeling and dispersion, model evaluation, mesoscale

modeling and dispersion, and

advanced modeling techniques.

In connection with this conference,

OFCM partnered with DTRA and

GMU as a first step in addressing the

recommendations that came out of the

Joint Action Group for Selection and
210 APPENDIX A

Evaluation of Atmospheric Transport

and Diffusion Models (JAG/SEATD)

report, Atmospheric Modeling of

Releases from Weapons of Mass

Destruction-Response by Federal

Agencies in Support of Homeland

Security. These recommendations

were supported by the Federal

Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research and

are currently being implemented under

the purview of the Interdepartmental

Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research. On

June 19, 2003, OFCM hosted an allday special session to begin addressing

three specific objectives to:

 Identify and refine the requirements

for atmospheric transport and diffusion (ATD) modeling support/plume

forecasts and develop a concept of

operations to support those requirements;

 Refine, prioritize (if possible), and

document the community's research

and development needs; and

 Develop a common model evaluation framework that supports customers' needs and requirements.

The special session was attended by

representatives from Federal

(DHS/FEMA, DOC/NOAA, DOD,

DOE, NRC, and EPA), state and local

agencies, the national laboratories, academia, and the private sector. It was

determined that OFCM, through its

Working Group for Environmental

Support to Homeland Security

(WG/ESHS), would: complete the

development of an environmental support concept of operations in support of

homeland security that is consistent with

the new National Response Plan, and

will form the basis for the Homeland

Security Environmental Support Plan;

develop a research and development

plan and pursue interagency support,

including DHS; complete the development and implementation of a common

framework for model evaluation among

the Federal agencies; and plan a followon forum to rollout the Homeland

Security Environmental Support Plan

and the research and development plan.

Homeland Security Environmental

Support Plan. OFCM made great

strides in working with agencies in

developing the Homeland Security

Environmental Support Plan. The plan

defines the mission, roles, and responsibilities of individual Federal agencies

as they relate to homeland security and

documents each agency's environmental support capabilities and/or requirements. The plan will specify a coordinated, interagency concept of operations to meet the environmental support needs and requirements of the

Nation's homeland security and emergency response efforts, and is being

developed and coordinated with the

Department of Homeland Security.

The Principal Federal Official,

Primary Federal Agencies, and environmental support assignments for

chemical, biological, radiological,

nuclear, and other hazardous material

release incidents are in accordance

with established plans and directives.

The plan also addresses the unmet

needs and requirements for environmental support during crisis and consequence management and details

research and development efforts, both

ongoing and planned, that are designed

to fulfill those needs and requirements.

The intended audience for this document includes the Federal agencies

involved in crisis and consequence

management, including the newly

established Department of Homeland

Security; and state and local (e.g., city,

county, and parish) governments and

their first responder organizations.

Additional Environmental Support

to Homeland Security. OFCM coordinated the Navy/NOAA tabletop exercise in Norfolk, Virginia, on

March 26, 2003, and participation in

additional tabletop exercises is being

planned. The results will be integrated

into the concept of operations section

of the Homeland Security

Environmental Support Plan. OFCM

is working with the Department of

Homeland Security (DHS) to identify a

policy-level focal point for participation in the Federal coordinating infrastructure, and has continued to coordinate with the U.S. Coast Guard

(USCG) and the DHS Directorate of

Emergency Preparedness and

Response (FEMA). OFCM worked to

increase agency support for the development and future expansion of the

Washington, D.C., Dispersion Testbed

(DCNet). DCNet will couple the best

available forecasts with real-time

measurements of key dispersion properties, develop GIS systems to display

current and forecast dispersion plumes,

explore existing network data, and

develop systems to extract data to

improve dispersion forecasts from

them. Having developed a refined dispersion system for Washington, D.C.,

the goal is to expand the operation to

cover the entire National Capital area

and other major cities. OFCM introduced the agencies to the DTRA/DOEsponsored Oklahoma City Field

Exercise, officially titled "Joint Urban

2003." The objectives of this atmospheric dispersion study, which

occurred in Oklahoma City from June

28 - July 31, 2003, are to collect meteorological and tracer data resolving

atmospheric dispersion at scales of

motion ranging from flows in and

around a single city block, in and

around several blocks in the downtown

central business district, and into the

suburban Oklahoma City area several

kilometers from the central business

district; and to use tracer and meteorological data collected in Oklahoma

City to evaluate and improve existing

indoor and outdoor dispersion models.

ANNUAL FEDERAL PLAN

OFCM prepared The Federal Plan

for Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research-Fiscal Year 2003.

The Federal Plan is Congressionally

mandated and is a one-of-a-kind document which articulates the meteorolog-
APPENDIX A 211

ical services provided and supporting

research conducted by agencies of the

Federal government. The Federal Plan

helps to reduce duplication among the

agencies. It is a comprehensive publication that documents proposed programs for Fiscal Year 2003 and

reviews agency programs in Fiscal

Year 2002. The Plan demonstrates to

the Congress and to the Executive

Branch how the Federal agencies work

together to accomplish their missions

in an effective and efficient manner.

The special interest article of the

Annual Federal Plan is The Need for

Weather Information for Surface

Transportation-Keeping the Country

Safe and on the Move. The article

describes interagency activities underway within the Federal transportation

and meteorology communities.

WEATHER INFORMATION

FOR SURFACE

TRANSPORTATION

In September 1998, the Federal

Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research

(FCMSSR) was briefed on the Office

of the Federal Coordinator for

Meteorology "Look to the Future."

The briefing identified priority areas,

issues, problems, and ideas to improve

the effectiveness of interagency coordination and cooperation. Surface

transportation needs (including ground

and marine transportation modes) were

emphasized. FCMSSR agreed on the

importance of addressing users' needs

for Weather Information for Surface

Transportation (WIST) through a coordinated effort. Subsequently, the

Interdepartmental Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (ICMSSR)

directed that a joint action group be

formed to address mission needs and

meteorological requirements for surface transportation. Two WIST symposia followed; the first (November -

December 1999) helped to identify

WIST user needs, and the second

(December 2000) reviewed the

progress of compiling and analyzing

the data collected over the previous

year. FCMSSR endorsed the continuation of this OFCM led process in

November 2000.

This led to OFCM publishing the

Weather Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report in December 2002.

The WIST Report sets the stage for

revolutionary improvement in the way

weather information is applied to surface transportation across the Nation.

It establishes a process that involves

decision makers throughout the public

and private sectors, academia, and

industry in a collaborative effort to

define weather information needs and

recommends next steps to incorporate

current and future results from science

and technology innovations into surface transportation activities that bear

on the safety and economic welfare of

all citizens. The WIST Report is the

product of an extensive 3-year interagency effort and is a historic achievement from the standpoint that it is the

first-ever compilation of weather support needs across the six surface transportation sectors: roadway, railway,

transit, marine transportation, pipeline

systems, and airport ground operations. This activity included the formation of a joint action group to

address meteorological requirements

for surface transportation; questionnaires; surveys; WIST symposia conducted jointly by the Office of the

Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

and the Federal Highway

Administration; meetings with railroad, pipeline, and emergency managers; and participation on panels concerning public-private partnerships in

transportation and Intelligent

Transportation Systems. The report

makes clear that by meeting the

requirements for provision of weather

information for surface transportation

to users, we can often increase safety

and realize economic benefits at the

same time. Costs of roadway weather

serve as a good example of this. It is

estimated that vehicle accidents caused

by adverse weather result, either

directly or indirectly, in 800,000

injuries and 7,000 fatalities annually.

This represents approximately 28 percent of all highway crashes and 19 percent of all fatalities. The estimated

annual economic cost from weatherrelated crashes (deaths, injuries, and

property), amounts to nearly $42 billion. A study of the effects of snow,

ice, and fog estimated that these

weather conditions caused 544 million

vehicle-hours of delay on highways in

1999. The report also makes clear the

importance of environmental support

to homeland security; we need better

weather information to support the

emergency response to disasters

inflicted on our communities by those

who would do us harm. More detailed

weather information must be used in

operational decision-making processes. We must also improve cooperative

efforts and working partnerships

among Federal, state, and "privatepublic" entities, and between the governmental and commercial sectors.

OFCM also arranged a

March 21, 2003, press briefing on the

rollout of the Weather Information for

Surface Transportation-National

Needs Assessment Report, which was

led by VADM Conrad C.

Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (Ret.), Under

Secretary of Commerce for Oceans

and Atmosphere and Chairman of the

Federal Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research, and

very well received.

WIND CHILL TEMPERATURE

INDEX

The result of this coordinated effort

led to the implementation of a more

rigorous, scientific-based Wind Chill

Temperature Index for the protection

of lives during winter weather. This

index was implemented by the United

States NOAA's National Weather
212 APPENDIX A

Service, the Meteorological Service of

Canada/Environment Canada, the U.S.

Army, and the U.S. Air Force. This

index has also been made available for

use by the public and private sector. In

a 2003 National Weather Service survey of broadcast meteorologists, it was

reported that over 70 percent found the

index very useful at communicating

the impact of wind chill in adverse

weather conditions to the public and

their other constituents. The index will

also be used as a basis for the development of an internationally-based

Universal Thermal Temperature Index

which will be implemented worldwide

in the next several years.

AVIATION WEATHER

In April 1997, the National Aviation

Weather Program Council (NAWPC)

approved and published a National

Aviation Weather Program Strategic

Plan, which had been developed by the

Program Council's Joint Action Group

for Aviation Weather. This Strategic

Plan was the first step in a Federal

agency response to the challenge for

improved aviation weather safety set

forth in a National Research Council

report, Aviation Weather Services--A

Call for Federal Leadership and

Action (1995). The Federal

Coordinator, who serves as Chair of

the NAWPC, has coordinated the

activities to support and implement the

Strategic Plan. In the 1997 Strategic

Plan, the NAWPC took responsibility

for overseeing periodic reviews of the

program to provide mid-course corrections as needed, as well as to maintain

momentum as the plan progressed.

OFCM was assigned a supporting role

in providing analyses, summaries, and

evaluations as a "factual basis for the

Executive and Legislative Branches to

make appropriate decisions related to

the allocation of funds." The plan is

now halfway to the Fiscal Year 2007

marker set for achieving an 80 percent

reduction in fatal accidents, an appropriate time to review progress and consider any needed mid-course corrections.

OFCM published the National

Aviation Weather Program MidCourse Assessment in August 2003.

The report presents a mid-course

assessment of progress toward the goal

of reducing weather-related fatal accident rates by 80 percent over 10 years.

In February 1997, the White House

Commission on Aviation Safety and

Security recommended an 80 percent

reduction in fatal aviation accidents

from all causes as a ten-year national

goal. In its 1999 report on National

Aviation Weather Initiatives, the

National Aviation Weather Program

Council identified initiatives being

pursued by federal agencies in collaboration with their industry and university partners. The Initiatives report also

discussed an 80 percent reduction in

weather-related accidents as an overall

measure of success. To assess progress

toward this goal, the National Aviation

Weather Program Mid-Course

Assessment examines trends in weather-related accidents for clearly defined

categories of aircraft and weather hazards. In each category, an 80 percent

reduction from the average accident

rate just before and during 1997 is used

as a benchmark for assessing success

in reducing accident risk. The analyses

confirm much anecdotal evidence that

the coordinated efforts and diverse

partnerships that constitute the

National Aviation Weather Program

initiatives are making a real difference

in accident rates. The investments in

research and development and implementation of products, services, and
APPENDIX A 213

systems are paying off. The

Assessment tells us where trouble

spots remain and points to ways we

can overcome them, while furthering

the work that has started us toward

success. 

In September 2003, OFCM published an update to the 2001 Aviation

Weather Program Baseline Report.

The update is an inventory of over 150

programs/projects in aviation weather

and represents nearly a doubling of the

number of programs/projects in the

2001 report; it was included as the

framework for the Mid-Course

Assessment. The update is a snapshot

of work underway in the agencies and

also in the private sector and includes a

mapping of the programs/projects

against the National Aviation Weather

Initiatives. The update shows that

most of the initiatives are being

worked by one or more agency programs, but the update also cautions

that the agencies must remain vigilant

for possible duplication.

SPACE WEATHER

Space weather refers to conditions

on the Sun and in the solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere, and thermosphere that can influence the performance and reliability of space-borne and

ground-based technological systems,

and can endanger human life or health.

Space weather storms can cause disruption of satellites, communications,

navigation, and electric power distribution grids. The overarching goal of

the National Space Weather Program

(NSWP), which is administered by an

OFCM program council, is to achieve

an active, synergistic, interagency system to provide timely, accurate, and

reliable space weather warnings,

observations, specifications, and forecasts by 2007. The NSWP Strategic

and Implementation Plans provide,

respectively, broad guidance and a

detailed roadmap for the NSWP.

Within the Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (FCMSSR) and

National Space Weather Program

Council (NSWPC), OFCM examined

the National Space Weather Program

(NSWP) in light of potential funding

reductions at the NOAA Space

Environment Center (NOAA/SEC).

The assessment report outlined the

many key benefits provided by

NOAA/SEC to the multi-agency

NSWP, and detailed the negative

impacts that would result from insufficient funding at NOAA/SEC on the

Nation's ability to observe, predict, and

warn of impending solar activity, and

the resultant impacts on the Nation's

technical systems and human life or

health. In the OFCM-led examination,

OFCM reached out to the major stakeholders and asked them to identify:

(1) significant impacts on their

agency's mission or operations as a

result of current/proposed reductions

in the SEC budget, (2) significant benefits the NSWP brings to their overall

mission, and (3) success stories that

could be shared that clearly identify

the service and ongoing research that

SEC is providing. The resultant report

was provided to the FCMSSR

Chairperson who subsequently provided it to the Office of Science and

Technology urging their "full support

of the NSWP and that the NOAA

Space Environment Center be supported, in the spirit of the October 2002

President's Council of Advisors on

Science and Technology (PCAST) recommendations about U.S. research and

development funding, to ensure that

the multi-agency NSWP effort would

continue to succeed from an operational and research perspective." The

FCMSSR Chairperson further stated

that, "A successful NSWP will form

the basis for improved space weather

forecasting and warning capabilities

and we will reap the associated socioeconomic benefits for the nation."

Another key part of the NSWP, the

Community Coordinated Modeling

Center (CCMC) has the mission to prepare the next generation of space

weather models for transition to operations through the NOAA and Air Force

operational centers' Rapid Prototyping

Centers (RPC). During FY 2003, the

CCMC has greatly expanded the number of resident models. At the present

time, models accepted and implemented at the CCMC include: two magnetospheric global MHD models; one

ring current/radiation belt model,

which has been successfully coupled to

the MHD models; two physics-based

ionospheric models; one empirical

ionospheric electric field and current

model; a solar coronal MHD model;

and an interplanetary structure model,

which is based on interplanetary scintillation measurements. Of these, all

but the last two are available for

researchers to use remotely upon

request. This feature is being heavily

used, with in excess of 140 requests

executed. CCMC is performing the

first comprehensive and repeatable

metric-based analyses of space science

models. CCMC successfully transferred an update of the University of

Michigan MHD model to the Air Force

RPC. In addition, the Weimer Polar

Cap model has been sent to both the

Air Force and NOAA RPCs, after

completion of metrics-based evaluations. Current CCMC evaluation

action involves an inner magnetospheric model, which was transferred

to the Air Force RPC in August 2003.

The National Science Foundation

(NSF) named Boston University to

lead the Center for Integrated Space

Weather Modeling (CISM), a new

$20 million, multi-institutional NSF

Science and Technology Center. The

center will create computer models

able to provide advance warning of

potentially harmful space weather

events that could put astronauts at risk,

disable satellites, disrupt communications, or cause costly damage on earth.

In addition to BU, the center consists

of research groups at seven other universities and several government and
214 APPENDIX A

non-profit research organizations and

commercial firms. The CISM will

focus on the central and most ambitious research goal of the U.S. government's National Space Weather

Program: building a comprehensive,

physics-based computer model that

can accurately simulate the complex,

closely interconnected variables-from

explosions on the sun to aurora on the

earth and almost everything inbetween-that give rise to the specific

manifestations of space weather. The

Boston University-led center is one of

six new Science and Technology

Centers the NSF funds. NSF established the Science and Technology

Center program in 1987 to fund important fundamental research efforts that

also create educational opportunities,

encourage technology transfer, and

provide innovative approaches to interdisciplinary research challenges. NSF's

support for the Center for Integrated

Space Weather Modeling at Boston

University is $20 million over the next

five years, renewable for another five

years. In addition, the highly successful competition for space weather

research grants, sponsored and administered by the National Science

Foundation (NSF), will continue in

FY 2004 with a modest increase in

funding.

LIGHTNING DATA USER

REQUIREMENTS

The OFCM Joint Action Group for

Lightning Detection Systems met on

several occasions to complete the

requirements definition and to complete drafting the Statement of Work

for the new Lightning Data Contract.

The Statement of Work was finalized

in July 2003 and was subsequently

made available for industry comment.

The Request for Proposals is scheduled

for release during fall 2003, and the

contract award is expected in the

spring/summer 2004 timeframe. The

new contract will be in effect for

FY 2005.

PHASED ARRAY WEATHER

RADAR PROJECT

A meeting on expanded agency participation in the Phased Array Weather

Radar Project was hosted by the

Federal Coordinator for Meteorology

on July 22, 2003. The meeting

responded to actions of the last meeting of the Federal Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (FCMSSR;

October 18, 2002) and the

Interdepartmental Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research (ICMSSR;

April 30, 2003) which directed the

Federal Coordinator to determine specific needs of the agencies, show benefits of the Phased Array Radar (PAR)

capability for their respective agencies,

and explore opportunities for expanded

agency participation in the Phased

Array Weather Radar Project.

Agencies which were represented

include the National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration

(National Weather Service and Office

of Oceanic and Atmospheric

Research), Department of

Transportation (Federal Aviation

Administration and Federal Highway

Administration), Department of

Defense (U.S. Air Force and

U.S. Army), Department of Interior,

and National Science Foundation.

Actions resulting from the meeting

include forming a Joint Action Group

within the Office of the Federal

Coordinator for Meteorology that

would identify the potential needs and

benefits of the agencies that PAR and

Networked Radars (NETRAD) would

address; and arranging for interested

agencies to visit the NOAA National

Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman,

Oklahoma, to see and learn more

about the Phased Array Radar and

possible applications and benefits to

their agencies from the system. The

interested agencies would include

those represented at this meeting, the

Department of Homeland Security,

and others including the National

Aeronautics and Space

Administration and the Department of

Energy.

U.S. CLIMATE CHANGE

SCIENCE PROGRAM

The U.S. Climate Change Science

Program-Planning Workshop for

Scientists and Stakeholders was held

December 3-5, 2002, in Washington, D.C.

The principal focus of the workshop

was to develop short-term products to

support climate change policy and

resource management decision-making. Approximately 1,300 attendees

were invited because of the pivotal role

they play as climate stakeholders, and

the impact that their views would have

in shaping the application of scientific,

economic, and energy system information to policy-making and resource

management decisions. In support of

this effort OFCM participated in the

workshop, and an OFCM Senior Staff

Meteorologist served as a rapporteur

for the Emerging Science Issues session. OFCM also used its infrastructure to reach out and invite many government, private, and academic participants, which resulted in approximately one-third of the participation for the

workshop.

INTERAGENCY TASK FORCE

ON RISK MANAGEMENT

The purpose of the Interagency Task

Force on Risk Management is to examine and report on the role of precaution

in risk management decisions by managers or decision makers in both the

public and private sectors, especially

regarding risks to human welfare,

quality of life, and environmental protection. The Federal Coordinator continued to represent NOAA at meetings

of the Interagency Task Force on Risk

Management. At these meetings,

agencies provided the following information: precautionary/regulatory risk

management standards and guidelines;

risk assessment and management

requirements/practices; decision crite-
APPENDIX A 215

ria regarding different risks; and historical examples where risk management decisions incorporated too much,

too little, or the appropriate amount of

precaution. In September 2003, the

Office of Management and Budget

released a report to Congress on

progress in regulatory reforms, including precautionary approaches for different management objectives.

COLLABORATION WITH

NAS/NRC BOARD ON

ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES AND

CLIMATE

OFCM continued its mutually beneficial interactions with the National

Academy of Sciences/National

Research Council (NAS/NRC). The

NAS/NRC Board on Atmospheric

Sciences and Climate (BASC) recently

formed a "Committee on Weather

Research for Surface Transportation:

The Roadway Environment." The

Committee is conducting a study to

examine the research opportunities and

required services needed to support

improved weather forecasting for the

Nation's roadways. It will investigate

the current state of knowledge regarding forecasting of road weather conditions, recommend key areas of

research to enhance operational weather forecasts for roads, and identify possible agency and infrastructure requirements to best provide this information

to users. The study will stress not just

research opportunities but, also, how to

make this information useful for

improved operations and implementation. The study will provide a framework and recommendations to engage

the transportation and weather communities (and other stakeholders) in the

development of a strategic plan to

guide road weather research. At its

first meeting held February 20-21, 2003,

in Washington, D.C., the Federal

Coordinator addressed the Committee

regarding the roadway transportation

aspects of OFCM's Weather

Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report and, more generally, about the Federal context for meteorological research relevant to surface

transportation. Copies of the WIST

Report were also provided to the

Committee members to assist the

BASC study. The Federal Coordinator

also addressed BASC at its planning

retreat June 30 - July 2, 2003, in

Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in the

portion of the retreat dealing with how

BASC could be more effective; lessons

from past BASC studies; and how

BASC could improve, expand, and

address new audiences.

COLLABORATION WITH THE

U.S. WEATHER RESEARCH

PROGRAM

The mission of the U.S. Weather

Research Program (USWRP) is to

accelerate forecast improvements of

high impact weather and facilitate full

use of advanced weather information.

The program's vision is to mitigate the

effects of weather-induced disasters;

reduce the costs associated with routinely disruptive weather; create

opportunities for increased productivity through better weather information;

and assist the military in the accomplishment of its mission. The current

USWRP team includes NOAA as the

lead agency, National Science

Foundation, National Aeronautics and

Space Administration, and the U. S.

Navy. The Federal Coordinator has

contacted additional agencies to broaden Federal participation in the USWRP

in accordance with an action from the

Interdepartmental Committee for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research, direction from

the Chairman of the Federal

Committee for Meteorological

Services and Supporting Research, and

a recommendation from the National

Academy of Sciences/National

Research Council Board on

Atmospheric Sciences and Climate

(BASC). The additional agencies

included Federal Aviation

Administration (FAA), Federal

Highway Administration (FHWA),

U.S. Air Force, Department of Energy

(DOE), United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA), Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA), and Federal

Emergency Management Agency

(FEMA). This has led to more interaction directly between the leadership of

the USWRP and interested agencies to

discuss in more detail agency-specific

needs which may be benefited by the

Program. It is expected that several

additional Federal participants will

join the U.S. Weather Research

Program and that the USWRP priorities will be expanded to address their

needs. In fact, at the September 18-19, 2002,

USWRP Science Steering Committee

meeting, FAA, FHWA, DOE, and the

Air Force made presentations on their

research needs and follow-on breakout

sessions discussed how those needs

could be addressed within the

USWRP's ongoing program. An

OFCM representative also attends all

meetings of the Interagency Working

Group of the U.S. Weather Research

Program.

COLLABORATION WITH

CENR/ SUBCOMMITTEE ON

DISASTER REDUCTION

The Federal Coordinator continues

to be a participant on the Committee

on Environment and Natural

Resources (CENR). OFCM has been

an active participant in the work of the

CENR Subcommittee on Disaster

Reduction. Recognizing that disasters

can be the result of a technological

and/or natural hazard, the subcommittee changed its name from the

Subcommittee on Natural Disaster

Reduction to the Subcommittee on

Disaster Reduction (SDR). Recently,

the focus of this group has been to

define its strategic vision in coordination with the White House Office of

Science and Technology Policy and the

Office of Homeland Security. Through
216 APPENDIX A

OFCM representation on the SDR,

OFCM has helped craft the subcommittee's charter and annual operation

plan. The major thrusts of these documents are to (1) promote effective

strategies for reducing national vulnerability to disaster risks and losses by

leveraging expertise and information

across the federal government, and (2)

establish focused outreach to the academic and private communities.

OFCM is committed to working with

SDR to provide a forum for information sharing, development of collaborative opportunities, and interactive

dialogue with the U.S. policy community to advance informed strategies for

managing risks associated with natural

and technological disasters. To

achieve these goals and to support

communication of high priority,

national programs for disaster reduction and recovery, OFCM representation on SDR helped draft an annual

report that presents an overview of current, national disaster programs, and an

identification of high priority needs

and opportunities. The report will contribute to U.S. government planning

activities on a number of levels and is

intended as a supplement to the

President's FY 2004 budget. 

AMERICAN METEOROLOGICAL SOCIETY

During FY 2003, OFCM joined leading environmental science and service

corporations in supporting undergraduate scholarships in the atmospheric and

related oceanic and hydrologic sciences. The scholarships, awarded for

the junior and senior years, are

designed to encourage outstanding

undergraduates to pursue careers in the

fields covered by the awards. OFCM

plans to continue this support. OFCM

also supports American

Meteorological Society (AMS)

endeavors by participating in AMS

conferences and workshops and other

environmental science education and

outreach programs.

PUBLICATIONS AND OFCM'S

WEB SITE. The following publications were prepared in hardcopy

form and have been placed on OFCM's

Web site (www.ofcm.gov):

 The Federal Plan for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research-Fiscal

Year 2003

 Federal Plan for Cooperative

Support and Backup Among

Operational Processing Centers

 Weather Information for Surface

Transportation-National Needs

Assessment Report

 Wind Chill Temperature and

Extreme Heat Indices-Evaluation

and Improvement Projects

 National Post-Storm Data

Acquisition Plan

 National Hurricane Operations

Plan

 Federal Meteorological Handbook

No. 11-Doppler Radar

Meteorological Observations; Part

A-System Concepts,

Responsibilities and Procedures

 National Aviation Weather

Program-Mid-Course Assessment

The following documents are planned

for publication during FY 2004:

 The Federal Plan for

Meteorological Services and

Supporting Research-Fiscal Year

2004

 Homeland Security Environmental

Support Plan

 Research and Development Plan

for Environmental Support to

Homeland Security

 A National Framework for

Volcanic Ash Hazards to Aviation

 National Hurricane Operations

Plan

 Proceedings of the Workshop on

Weather Support for the U.S. 

 Proceedings of the Forum on

Information Dissemination

Technologies

 Proceedings of the Forum on

Urban Meteorology

During FY 2003, OFCM continued

to make substantial progress on its use

of the Internet. In addition to information about the office, OFCM has

placed its current publications on its

Web site, and keeps the Web site current with information regarding workshops and forums being conducted by

the office. OFCM will continue to

make information available on the

Internet during FY 2004.
Table A.1 Current OFCM Publications

Publication Title Date Number

Federal Plan for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research, Fiscal Year 2003 June 2002 FCM-P1-2002

National Plan for Space Environment Services and Supporting Research: 1993-1997 August 1993 FCM-P10-1993

National Severe Local Storms Operations Plan May 2001 FCM-P11-2001

National Hurricane Operations Plan May 2003 FCM-P12-2003

WSR-88D Tropical Cyclone Operations Plan

National Winter Storms Operations Plan November 2000 FCM-P13-2000

Federal Plan for Cooperative Support and Backup Among Operational Nov 2002 FCM-P14-2002

Processing Centers

National Plan for Stratospheric Monitoring, 1988-1997 July 1989 FCM-P17-1989

National Aircraft Icing Technology Plan April 1986 FCM-P20-1986

National Plan to Improve Aircraft Icing Forecasts July 1986 FCM-P21-1986

Federal Plan for the Coordination of Automated Weather Information May 1988 FCM-P23-1988

System Programs 

Federal Plan for Meteorological Information Management July 1991 FCM-P24-1991

National Plan for Tropical Cyclone Research and Reconnaissance (1997-2002) January 1997 FCM-P25-1997

National Aviation Weather Program Plan September 1992 FCM-P27-1992

National Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)

Data Collection System (DCS) Operations Plan August 1997 FCM-P28-1997

Federal Plan for Marine Environmental Data, Services, and Supporting Research June 1996 FCM-P29-1996

The National Space Weather Program: Strategic Plan August 1995 FCM-P30-1995

The National Space Weather Program: Implementation Plan - 2nd Edition July 2000 FCM-P31-2000

National Aviation Weather Strategic Plan April 1997 FCM-P32-1997

National Post-Storm Data Acquisition Plan March 2003 FCM-P33-2003

National Aviation Weather Initiatives February 1999 FCM-P34-1999

National Aviation Weather Initiatives, Final Baseline Tier 3 and 4 Report April 2000

Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 1 - Surface Weather Observations December 1995 FCM-H1-1995

and Reports

Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 2 - Surface Synoptic Codes December 1988 FCM-H2-1988

Surface Synoptic Code Tables (Update) July 1990 FCM-T1-1990

Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 3 - Rawinsonde and Pibal Observations May 1997 FCM-H3-1997

Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 10 - Meteorological Rocket Observations December 1988 FCM-H10-1988 

Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 11 - Doppler Radar Meteorological Observations

Part A - System Concepts, Responsibilities and Procedures June 2003 FCM-H11A-2003

Part B - Doppler Radar Theory and Meteorology June 1990 FCM-H11B-1990

Part C - WSR-88D Products and Algorithms February 1991 FCM-H11C-1991

Part D - WSR-88D Unit Description and Operational Analysis April 1992 FCM-H11D-1992

APPENDIX A 217
218 APPENDIX A

Federal Meteorological Handbook No. 12 - United States Meteorological Codes December 1998 FCM-H12-1998

and Coding Practices

Directory of Atmospheric Transport and Diffusion Consequence Assessment Models March 1999 FCM-I3-1999

Federal Directory of Mobile Meteorological Equipment and Capabilities December 1995 FCM-I5-1995

A Guide to WMO Code Form FM 94 BUFR March 1995 FCM-I6-1995

Tropical Cyclone Studies December 1988 FCM-R11-1988

Tropical Cyclone Studies Supplement August 1989 FCM-R11-1988S

Interdepartmental Meteorological Data Exchange System Report, IMDES August 1998 FCM-R12-1998

Federal Meteorological Requirements 2000 October 1990 FCM-R13-1990

U.S. Wind Profiler: A Review March 1998 FCM-R14-1998

Aviation Weather Training Report April 2002 FCM-R16-2002

Atmospheric Modeling of Releases from Weapons of Mass Destruction August 2002 FCM-R17-2002

Weather Information for Surface Transportation--National Needs Assessment Report December 2002 FCM-R18-2002

Report on Wind Chill Temperature and Extreme Heat Indices: Evaluation and January 2003 FCM-R19-2003

Improvement Projects

National Aviation Weather Program Mid-Course Assessment August 2003 FCN-R20-2003

Standard Formats for Weather Data Exchange Among Automated Weather November 1994 FCM-S2-1994

Information Systems

Standard Telecommunication Procedures for Weather Data Exchange (under revision) October 1991 FCM-S3-1991

Federal Standard for Siting Meteorological Sensors at Airports August 1994 FCM-S4-1994

Proceedings of the Workshop on Multiscale Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling June 2000

within the Federal Community

Proceedings of the Aviation Weather User Forum--Aviation Weather: Opportunities July 2000

for Implementation

Proceedings for the Symposium on Weather Information for Surface Transportation:

Delivering Improved Safety and Efficiency for Tomorrow February 2000

Proceedings of the Symposium on Weather Information for Surface Transportation March 2001

-- Preparing for the Future: Improved Weather Information for Decision Makers

Proceedings of the Forum on Risk Management and Assessment of Natural Hazards July 2001

Proceedings of the Workshop on Strategy for Providing Atmospheric Information March 2002

Aviation Weather Training: A Report on Training for Emerging and Recently

Implemented Aviation Weather Programs April 2002 FCM-R16-2002

Proceedings of the Workshop on Effective Emergency Response May 2002

Italics = publication available online at www.ofcm.gov

Table A.1 Current OFCM Publications (cont.)

Publication Title Date Number
APPENDIX B

GOALS AND ORGANIZATION

The WWW goals are to extend the

time, accuracy, range, and scope of

weather prediction and to understand

the physical basis of climate and climatic change. The WWW is the core

of WMO's programs and receives the

highest budget priority. The ability of

the United States and other nations to

use their existing scientific capability to

understand the climate and to increase

their weather predicting skills is limited

by the lack of global weather data.

Available weather data are inadequately observed over a significant portion

of the Earth's surface, especially over

isolated areas including the oceans.

Development of the technology and

the systems to obtain these observations, especially over the oceans, presents formidable problems. With the use

of satellites, aircraft, ships, radar,

anchored and drifting buoys, and balloons, however, an integrated system

can be developed to observe and collect

comprehensive data about the atmosphere over the entire globe. This system is too complex and expensive to be

implemented by a single nation--a fact

clearly recognized by the leaders of

many nations whose international

cooperation in meteorology has been a

tradition for more than a century. In

1961, this continuing need for international cooperation prompted the

President of the United States to propose to the United Nations (UN) the

establishment of an international effort

in weather prediction. The UN

responded by calling upon the World

Meteorological Organization (WMO)

and the International Council of

Scientific Unions (ICSU) to develop

measures to improve weather forecasting capabilities and to advance the

knowledge of the basic physical forces

that determine climate.

The WMO, with 181 Member States

and 6 Member Territories, is an intergovernmental organization affiliated

with the UN to facilitate international

cooperation in the fields of meteorology, climate, and operational hydrology.

The WMO responded to the UN

request with the concept of the World

Weather Watch (WWW), an operational system to bring the global atmosphere under improved surveillance and

to provide for the rapid collection and

exchange of weather data as well as for

the dissemination of weather products

from centralized processing centers.

More recently, the WMO is working

towards the design and implementation

of improved observations for a Global

Climate Observing System (GCOS)

through enhancements to the Global

Observing System (GOS) and other

appropriate measures. These efforts are

expected to yield an enhanced GOS for

both operational and research purposes

and are part of the effort to strengthen

the WMO's commitment to improve the

understanding of climate and related

environmental matters, as articulated by

the Second World Climate Conference

in 1990 and repeated at the UN

Conference on the Environment and

Development. The WMO has established the concept of a Regional Basic

Climate Network (RBCN); most

observing stations would function as

part of both the Regional Basic Synoptic

Network (RBSN) and the RBCN.

The responsibilities of United States

federal agencies in the WWW are as

follows:

 Department of Commerce (DOC).

Represents the United States at

WMO and, through the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration (NOAA), provides

the focal point to coordinate our

Nation's efforts in these international programs, implements those service improvements in the existing

international weather system for

which the United States accepts

responsibility, and develops new

technology. The U.S. is one of three

(Russia; Australia) World

Meteorological Centers, which

includes World Data Centers and

the principal telecommunication

gateway for the WMO's Global

Telecommuni-cation System

(GTS). 

 Department of State (DOS). The

DOS is the principal source for U.S.

funds to the WMO. The DOS maintains relations with developing

nations and, through NOAA and the

WMO, assists developing nations

through the Voluntary Cooperation

Program to improve their national

weather services. DOS also develops appropriate multilateral and

bilateral arrangements to further

international participation.

 National Science Foundation

(NSF). Stimulates and supports

basic and applied research by scientists primarily in academia on

atmospheric and ocean circulation

and models. It also promotes the

education and training of atmosWORLD WEATHER PROGRAM

The Department of Commerce (DOC) was designated by the President, following Senate Concurrent Resolution 67

(1968), to be the lead agency for coordinating United States participation in the World Weather Program (WWP). Until

1983, DOC published a separate report on WWP Plans. Beginning with the 1983 edition of the Federal Plan for

Meteorological Services and Supporting Research, a section on the WWP has been included, obviating the need for a

separate report. The last segment of this narrative includes information on bilateral and regional international cooperative activities which are not under the WWP.

APPENDIX B 219
220 APPENDIX B

pheric and ocean scientists at universities.

 Department of Defense (DOD).

Although the mission of DOD

weather services is basically internal, the nature of DOD's operations

is global. As such, the observation,

telecommunications, and data-processing programs of the military

weather services provide significant

indirect support to the WWW

through DOD's interface with

NOAA's National Weather Service

(NWS). Information from the

research and development activities

of these services is exchanged routinely with other similar national

agencies and is often presented at

national forums. DOD also operates a polar orbiting meteorological

satellite program.

 Department of Transportation

(DOT). Through the United States

Coast Guard, provides personnel to

support NOAA's National Data

Buoy Center (NDBC) in developing, deploying, operating, and evaluating data buoy systems. DOT's

Federal Aviation Administration's

terminal aerodrome meteorological

observations and air traffic telecommunication network provides an

important source of data to the

WWW.

 National Aeronautics and Space

Administration (NASA). Performs

research, develops aerospace technology required for an effective

global weather system, and provides data from R&D satellites to

the WWW. NASA launches for

NOAA both polar orbiting and geostationary satellites.

 Department of the Interior (DOI).

DOI's U.S. Geological Survey

(USGS) is an important source of

hydrologic data used in flood forecasting. The USGS, in addition to

its advisory role on water issues in

the WMO, will assume a greater

functional role in the WMO's

emerging water program.

 Department of Agriculture (USDA).

USDA is a valuable resource for

surface climatological meteorological data from cooperating

observers. The department's World

Climate Observing Board is responsible for monitoring the impact of

climate and extreme weather on

both the national and international

commercial crops. USDA is in

WMO technical commission work

on agrometeorological issues.

THE WORLD WEATHER WATCH

The WWW is an integrated Memberoperated observing system linked by

the GTS; it functions on three levels -

global, regional, and national. The

WWW is divided into three essential

elements that are closely linked and

interdependent - the Global Data

Processing System (GDPS), Global

Telecommunication System (GTS),

and the Global Observing System

(GOS).

These elements are coordinated and

closely integrated through three WWW

support functions: (1) the data management function coordinates, monitors, and manages the flow of data and

products within the WWW system to

assure their quality and timely delivery.

It also includes the definition and use of

code forms for data exchange; (2) the

systems support activity provides guidance, technical and scientific information, and training to those involved in

the planning, development, and operation of WWW components; and (3) the

implementation and coordination function assures the timely completion of

the WWW implementation and effective support and maintenance of the

WWW system.

Global Observing System

The GOS is a coordinated observing

system employing standardized techniques for making meteorological and

marine surface observations on a

worldwide scale. It is a composite system containing surface-based (national

networks), airborne (civil aviation) and

space-based (satellite) subsystems.

The main elements of the network and

airborne subsystems are:

 Regional Basic Synoptic Network

(RBSN), staffed and automated, for

both surface and upper-air observations.

 Fixed observing stations at sea,

composed of fixed and anchored

platform stations, and island and

coastal stations.

 Mobile sea stations, including moving ships.

 Moored and drifting buoys.

 Aircraft meteorological stations,

including automated aircraft reporting systems.

The space-based satellite subsystem

provides vital support for meteorological and hydrological predictions and

warnings. The use of satellites enables

the routine collection of environmental

observations from even the most

remote locations. Currently, the WWW

environmental observation satellite network includes five near-polar-orbiting

satellites and six operational geostationary satellites as well as several

research and development satellites.

Operational meteorological satellites in

polar orbits include the United States

(POES; DMSP), Russia (METEOR-3)

and China (Fengyun-1). Operational

geostationary meteorological satellites

include the United States (GOES), the

European Union (METEOSAT), Japan

(GMS-5/GOES-9), Russia (GOMS),

China (Fengyun-2), and India (INSAT).

The National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

manages a constellation of twelve polar

orbiting meteorological spacecraft,

including five military satellites, from

the Satellite Operations Control Center

(SOCC) in Suitland, Maryland. The

POES spacecraft constellation includes

two primary, one secondary, two standby and one non-operational spacecraft.

These spacecraft are in circular orbits

inclined at approximately 98 degrees

(retrograde). The primary operational

spacecraft, NOAA-16 and NOAA-17,
APPENDIX B 221

are in sun-synchronous afternoon and

morning orbits, respectively. One secondary spacecraft, NOAA-15, provides

additional operational data. NOAA-12

and NOAA-14 are standby spacecraft

supporting additional user data requirements. NOAA-N, the next POES slated for launch in September 2004, was

seriously damaged in an accident at the

Hughes satellite facility in Palo Alto,

California.

Similar to the U.S. civilian POES

program, the Defence Meteorological

Satellite Program (DMSP) designs,

launches, and maintains several near

polar orbiting, sun synchronous satellites monitoring the meteorological,

oceanographic, and solar-terrestrial

physics environments. The visible and

infrared sensors collect images of global cloud distribution across a 3,000-

kilometer swath during both daytime

and nighttime conditions. The current

DMSP constellation consists of two

primary, two secondary, and one backup operational spacecraft. The current

primary operational NOAA polar-orbiting satellites are F-15 (launched in

December 1999) and the F-14

(launched in April 1997).

Preparations continue by the

Europeans for their assumption of

NOAA's morning polar orbit mission

starting with the launch of Metop-1 in

2005. This complements United States

plans to merge NOAA's POES with the

DMSP to form an integrated system

called NPOESS (National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental

Satellite System) that is expected to fly

at the end of this decade. NOAA,

DOD, and NASA are working together

to implement NPOESS in the context

of an Integrated Program Office (IPO).

NOAA heads the IPO and is responsible for operating the NPOESS and for

relations with national and international civilian users of the system. DOD

has the lead responsibility for NPOESS

acquisition, launch, and system integration. NOAA will facilitate the development and incorporation of new, costeffective technologies to enhance the

NPOESS capabilities.

The U.S. SOCC controls 7 Geostationary Orbit Environmental Satellites

(GOES). GOES-12 (75 degrees West)

was successfully launched on July 23,

2001. It carries a new instrument

called the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI),

which is capable of measuring and

imaging the Sun in four X-ray energy

bands. GOES-10 is the operational

West Coast satellite at 135 degrees

West. The GOES-11 spacecraft was

successfully launched on May 3, 2000.

In the event that GOES-10 or GOES-12

should fail, GOES-11 could be activated and be made operational within 48

hours. GOES 10 has been "inverted",

i.e., 180 degrees from its normal relation to the Earth, in order to overcome

a solar array drive problem. Launched

in May 1995, GOES-9 is stationed over

the western Pacific Ocean at 155

degrees East to provide operational

data until Japan launches its MTSAT

satellite, which will replace the GMS

series. GOES-9 has limited capability

due to attitude limitations and imager

noise, but continues to provide useful

data over the western Pacific as backup

to Japan's failing GMS-5. GOES-7 is

currently located over the Pacific to

support data relay requirements for the

University of Hawaii's Pan-Pacific

Educational and Cultural Satellite

(PEACESAT) Program, which includes

the transmission of NOAA's

Emergency Managers Weather

Information Network (EMWIN) used

throughout the Pacific.

Japan's Geostationary Meteorological

Satellite (GMS-5) is being moved to a

higher decommissioning orbit in preparation for the Multi-functional

Telecommunication Satellite (MTSAT)

scheduled for launch sometime 2004.

India's National meteorological/

telecommunication Satellites (INSAT)

are at 74 degrees East and 83 degrees

East. EUMETSAT's METEOSATs 7

and 5 are at 0 degrees and 63 degrees

East, respectively. China launched its

first pre-operational geostationary

environmental satellite FY-2A on June

10, 1997, and its second FY-2B in

January, 2001. FY-2B is located at

105 degrees East and FY-2A was

moved to the backup position at

85.6 degrees East.

Broadcast of data from both the

NOAA and GOES series of United

States satellites is free, unrestricted,

and does not require any prior notification. Data can be received directly by

any properly-equipped ground station

within the satellites' line-of-sight. The

United States, through NOAA, develops information and products from

these data for further distribution over

the GTS

The WWW has pursued a class of

automated airborne reporting systems

such as the Automated Meteorological

Data and Reporting (AMDAR) systems. Over 3000 aircraft now provide

reports of pressure, winds and temperature during flight. The amount of data

from aircraft has increased dramatically during recent years - from

78,000 reports in 2000 to 140,000

reports in 2002. These systems are

making a major contribution to the

upper-air component of the GOS in

regions where there is little or no

radiosonde data. Global cooperation

on AMDAR is facilitated by the WMO

AMDAR Panel established in 1998 by

a number of WMO Members operating

or intending to operate AMDAR programs. Australia, Canada, China,

EUMETNET, Japan, New Zealand,

Republic of Korea, Russia and the

United States have AMDAR programs.

High priority regions include the

Middle East (Saudi Arabia) and Africa

(South Africa).

AMDAR was proposed for the First

Global Atmospheric Research Program

(GARP) Global Experiment (FGGE) in

the 1970s. Two systems were developed, one using communications facilities available on the geostationary

operational environmental satellite

(GOES), and one using a standard air-
222 APPENDIX B

craft VHF communication system

(ACARS) which was developed in the

United States and is rapidly gaining

worldwide acceptance. The satellite

system, Aircraft to Satellite Data Relay

(ASDAR) was sponsored by a consortium of WMO Members and was

developed into an operational system

by 1991. ACARS-based systems

require no additional specialized equipment to be fitted to the aircraft, whereas ASDAR uses a dedicated data

processor and satellite transmitter.

Experience with both systems has led to

the conclusion that ACARS-based

AMDAR systems are preferred, based

on ease of implementation, worldwide

applicability and overall cost. ASDAR

operations reached a peak in the late

1990s with some 20 of 23 purchased systems still in service. It is anticipated

these systems will continue to provide

useful data at least through 2003. No

further ASDAR developments are envisaged. Several new AMDAR systems are

being developed using alternative methods for sensing and communications.

The United States AMDAR program,

called Meteorological Data Communications and Reporting System

(MDCRS), began in the early 1980's as

a cooperative effort among ARINC, the

NWS, and the FAA. Over 120,000

reports of wind and temperature are

sent every day in the Binary Universal

Form for Representation of

Meteorological Data (BUFR) code.

These MDCRS reports are provided by

six airlines: Delta, Northwest, United,

United Parcel Service (UPS), American

Airlines and Federal Express (FedEx).

Two additional MDCRS reporting elements continue under development:

water vapor and turbulence. A new

water vapor sensor, using diode laser

technology, is being tested. The most

recent humidity sensor was expected to

be certified before January 2004 and

the sensor would be fitted to UPS B757

aircraft.

A new turbulence algorithm, developed by the National Center for

Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

derives an objective, aircraft-independent measure of turbulence (eddy dissipation rate-EDR) from aircraft vertical

acceleration. The EDR is included as

part of the MDCRS data stream. The

algorithm is currently installed on

90 United Airlines aircraft and will be

installed on over 400 United,

American, Delta, and Northwest aircraft by FY 2003.

GOS employs both marine and land

surface-based observing systems.

Approximately 11,000 stations on land

take observations at least once every

three hours and often hourly of thermodynamic and wind field parameters of

the atmosphere. About 4,000 of the

world's surface stations comprise the

RBSN. Data from these stations are

exchanged globally in real time. A subset of these surface stations are used in

the Global Climate Observing System

(GCOS) Surface Network (GSN). The

U.S. operates 87 surface stations as part

of the GCOS network. Many countries

including the United States have available additional surface data from specialized meso-scale networks, such as

Oklahoma's Mesonet, used for

research, water management and transportation needs. The U.S. operates

about 73 surface stations on the

Antarctic continent. Twenty are U.S.

government sponsored of which only

4 report regular observations. The

other 53 sites are through university

programs.

The lower atmosphere is vertically

profiled using a land-based global array

of about 900 upper-air stations which

deploy at least once per day a balloonborne radiosonde capable of providing

in situ measurements of basic state

parameters. Approximately 15 specially outfitted commercial ships provide

upper-air observations over sparsely

instrumented oceanic regions. The

NWS operates 92 upper air stations and

support 15 additional sites in the

Caribbean and Pacific. For all U.S.

(including DoD and other agencies) we

have reported to WMO a total of

132 sites. The U.S. has also implemented experimental or quasi-operational networks or single sites of

ground-based Doppler radars called

wind profilers to provide nearly continuous wind soundings. A network of

32 tropospheric wind profilers is being

operated quasi-operationally at

404 MHZ primarily in the central part

of the United States.

Over the oceanic regions the GOS

relies on ships, moored and drifting

buoys, and stationary platforms - in

addition to derived data from satellite

observations. The VOS comprises

some 7,000 commercial ships, of which

40 percent are at sea during any given

period. About 750 drifting buoys provide 6,000 sea surface temperature and

surface air pressure reports per day.

Argo - A Global Array of Profiling

Floats, plans to deploy and maintain a

global array of around

3,000 autonomous profiling floats,

which will automatically provide profiles of ocean temperature, salinity and

ocean currents to depths of around

2000 meters. Each float reports via

satellite every 10 days, and the data distributed in real time on the GTS. Since

1999, the United States has committed

funds for 1,088 Argo floats and proposed funding for an additional 1,239

over the next 3 years. As of October

2003, about 921 Argo floats were in

operation around the globe. It is

expected that, once operational, Argo

will become a component of the operational integrated ocean observing system.

To improve the methodology used in

developing and deploying observing

systems, NOAA in 1997, established

the North American Atmospheric

Observing System (NAOS) program.

The group has representatives from

several federal agencies along with representatives from Canada and Mexico.

NAOS objectives are to: (1) define a

cost-effective, requirements-driven

"best mix" of observing platforms and
APPENDIX B 223

instruments and (2) reduce observing

system risks and uncertainties. While

the initial focus of the program will be

to modernize the composite upper-air

network, NAOS is expected to guide

the resource-allocation process for

most future observing systems developed and/or fielded by NOAA. Several

projects of NAOS have been undertaken to assess the utility of the MDCRS

data in numerical models, including the

impact of replacing some numbers of

radiosonde sites with MDCRS soundings, an assessment of forecaster use of

MDCRS, and the impact on shortrange forecasting.

Efforts are underway to design and

implement a GCOS, building upon the

WWW, Global Atmospheric Watch,

Integrated Global Ocean Services

System, and other existing systems to

further the knowledge and understanding of climate and the prediction of

climate and climate change. Efforts to

date have established planning groups

to address needs and requirements for

atmospheric, oceanic, and land-surface data. Upper-air and surfaceobserving networks have been defined

to provide basic global measurements

for the GCOS. Links to existing organizational structures are being established and a high priority has been

given to making observational

enhancements. The GCOS Upper Air

Network (GUAN) and the GCOS

Surface Network (GSN) have been

established. The U.S. has plans for

providing funds to aid GCOS in developing countries. A Pacific Islands (PI)

GCOS Implement-ation Plan has been

prepared to establish a robust and sustainable climate observation and

application system that meets the climate change and variability needs

observations and application needs of

Pacific Island nations, and the South

Pacific region. The U.S. support for

GCOS under the CCRI has been programmed in to the base budget for

NOAA's Climate Program Office for

fiscal years 2004 and 2005.

Global Data Processing and

Forecasting System (GDPFS)

The purpose of GDPFS is to make

available all processed information

required for both real-time and nonreal-time applications. GDPFS provides products and processed information, based on recent advances in

atmospheric science, using powerful

numerical computer methods.

Members have real-time, unrestricted

access through the GTS to GDPFS

products which allow all countries to

benefit from their participation in the

WWW.

The GDPFS is organized as a threelevel system. It consists of World

Meteorological Centers (WMC),

Regional/Specialized Meteorological

Centers (RSMC), and National

Meteorological Centers (NMC).

NMCs carry out GDPFS functions at

the national level. In general, real-time

functions of the system involve preprocessing of data including real-time

quality control, analysis, and prognosis,

including derivation of appropriate

meteorological parameters. The nonreal-time functions include data collection and archival, and additional quality control, storage, and retrieval, to

include cataloging observational data

and processed information for operational and special applications and for

research.

WMCs are located in Melbourne,

Moscow, and Washington; they provide

guidance products used for general short,

medium, and long-range weather forecasts on a global scale. Melbourne specializes in forecast products for the

Southern Hemisphere.

Regional Specialized Meteorological

Centers (RSMCs) with geographical specialization: Algiers, Beijing, Bracknell,

Brazilia, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Dakar,

Darwin, Jeddah, Khabarovsk,

Melbourne, Miami, Montreal, Moscow,

Nairobi, New Delhi, Novosibirsk,

Offenbach, Pretoria, Rome, Tashkent,

Tokyo, Tunic/Casablanca, Washington

and Wellington.

RSMCs with activity specialization

for tropical cyclone forecasting:

Miami - Hurricane Center, Nadi -

Tropical Cyclone Center, New Delhi -

Tropical Cyclone Center, Saint Denis,

La ReUnion - Tropical Cyclone Center,

Tokyo - Typhoon Center, Honolulu -

Hurricane Center.

RSMSs for medium-range weather

forecasting: European Center for

Medium-Range Weather Forecast

(ECMWF).

RSMSs for the provision of transport

model products for environmental

emergency responses: Beijing,

Bracknell, Melbourne, Montreal,

Obninsk, Tokyo, Toulouse,

Washington.

Emerging Special Centers: African

Center of Meteorological Applications

for Development (ACMAD) - Niamey,

Niger; ASEAN Specialized

Meteorological Center (ASMC) -

Singapore; Drought Monitoring

Centers (DMCs) - Nairobi, Kenya -

Harare, Zimbabwe; INPE - Sao Paulo,

Brazil; National Center for Medium

Range Weather Forecasting - New

Delhi.

The regional centers at Bracknell,

Honolulu, Miami, Montreal, New

Delhi, and Tokyo have dual geographical and activity specialization responsibilities. These centers provide regional

products used for short and mediumrange forecasting of small, mesoscale,

and large scale meteorological systems

by WMCs. Products of RSMCs can be

used by members at the national level

for further processing or interpretation

to provide assistance or service to

users.

In the World Area Forecast System

(WAFS), two centers (Washington and

London) are designated by the

International Civil Aviation

Organization (ICAO) as World Area

Forecast Centers (WAFC) and act as

back-up for one another. The dissemination of aeronautical information via

global satellite broadcast began in 1995

through the International Satellite
224 APPENDIX B

Communication System (ISCS). The

United States provides the links to two

of the three satellites specified in the

system. The WAFS issue upper-wind

and temperature forecasts with global

coverage and forecasts of weather elements defined by ICAO as significant.

The RAFC's were phased out in late

2002 at which time the WAFCs

assumed their responsibilities.

The gradual implementation of the

final phase of the WAFS has begun.

The planned final phase call for the two

WAFCs to prepare and issue computerbased wind and temperature forecasts

as they now do. In addition, those centers will automate all of the significant

weather elements. While some of these

elements are now prepared automatically, others are developed through

forecaster-initiated graphic interaction.

Global Telecommunication System

The GTS provides communication

services for the collection, exchange,

and distribution of observational data

and processed information among the

WMCs, RSMCs, and NMCs of the

WWW to meet the member needs for

real-time or quasi-real-time exchange

of information for both operational and

research purposes. The GTS also supports other WMO programs, joint programs with other inter-national organizations, and environmental programs

as decided by the WMO and is organized on three levels:

 The Main Telecommunication

Network (MTN).

 The Regional Meteorological

Telecommunication Networks

(RMTN).

 The National Meteorological

Telecommunication Networks

(NMTN).

The GTS is supported by the

telecommunications functions of the

WMCs, Regional Telecommunications

Hubs (RTH), RSMCs, and NMCs.

The MTN links the WMCs at

Melbourne, Moscow, and Washington

with the RTHs at Algiers; Beijing;

Bracknell; Brasilia; Buenos Aires;

Cairo; Dakar; Jeddah; Maracay,

Venezuela; Nairobi; New Delhi;

Norrköping, Sweden; Offenbach;

Prague; Rome; Sofia; Tokyo; Toulouse;

and Wellington. It ensures the rapid

and reliable exchange of observational

data and processed information

required by the members.

The RMTNs consist of an integrated

system of links which interconnects

RTHs, NMCs, and RSMCs to WMCs.

The RMTNs provide for the collection

of observational data and the selective

distribution of meteorological information to member nations.

In summary, the GTS enables the

NMCs to receive and distribute observational data and meteorological information to meet the requirements of

members. Ongoing WWW activities

include:

 GTS network redesign to take into

consideration new technical opportunities, such as Internet-like services.

 Improvement of the capacity of

MTN links and inclusion of graphics (e.g., Washington-Brasilia,

Washington-Buenos Aires,

Washington-Tokyo).

 Continued implementation of satellite-serviced data collection platforms to enhance the collection of

meteorological data from upper-air

and surface-observing sites.

 Continued implementation of satellite direct-readout stations that are

compatible with polar-orbiting

satellites and the weather facsimile

(WEFAX) component of the geostationary satellites. The need to convert WEFAX to LRIT and APT to

LRPT formats will have to be

undertaken during the next decade.

Voluntary Cooperation Program (VCP)

From the beginning of WWW, it was

clear that all countries need better

weather observations and improved

communications systems. To help remedy deficiencies and to fully implement

the WWW, the WMO established a

Voluntary Assistance Program in 1967.

The name of the program was changed

to Voluntary Cooperation Program

(VCP) in 1979.

The WMO-VCP helps the developing

countries to implement the WWW program by providing equipment, services,

and long-term and short-term study fellowships. Since the inception of the

VCP, the United States has provided

short-term training fellowships in forecast preparation, technical aspects of

the operation and maintenance of

weather data collection systems and

electrolytic hydrogen generators, and

tropical meteorology and river flood

forecasting to students from more than

50 countries. Long-term fellowships,

through which the students receive baccalaureate or advanced degrees, have

been completed by candidates from

over 48 countries. The goal of VCP is

to eliminate deficiencies in global

observations and communications. The

highest priority of the VCP is the

implementation of the WWW.

NOAA administers the program with

funds from the DOS. Planned VCP

Projects for 2003/4 calendar year

include:

 Support of NWS training desks at

the National Centers for

Environmental Prediction (Camp

Springs, Maryland) and the Pacific

Region (Honolulu, Hawaii).

 Implementation of the WAFS-ISCS

workstation in designated

Caribbean and Central American

countries.

 Support for the Ham Radio

Operator projects in Africa and the

Caribbean Amateur Radio

Meteorological Emergency

Network (Caribbean CARMEN).

 Implementation of the Eta PC-based

mesoscale model in selected developing countries.

 Support of the Aircraft

Meteorological Data Relay

(AMDAR) Program.
APPENDIX C

PREVIOUS FEATURE ARTICLES

APPENDIX C 225

2002 FY 2003 The Need For Weather Information For Ms. Mary M. Cairns, OFCM

Surface Transportation: Keeping The

Country Safe and On The Move

2001 FY 2002 Research to Operations: Bridging the Mr. Robert Dumont, OFCM

Valley of Death

2000 FY 2001 The Legacy of Hurricane Floyd--Inland Mr. Robert Dumont, OFCM

Flooding and a Massive Evacuation

1999 FY 2000 Natural Disaster Reduction--Reducing the OFCM Staff in collaboration with

Impacts of Natural Hazards Dr. William Hooke, OAR, and

Ms. Keli Tarp, NOAA Public Affairs

1998 FY 1999 Aviation Weather: Taking A Leadership Role FAA's Aviation Weather Policy Division

(ARW-100) Staff

1997 FY 1998 Owning The Weather--An Army Force Mr. Richard J. Szymber, Army

Multiplier

1996 FY 1997 Space Weather - A New Challenge for Col Jud Stailey, USAF

Meteorologists

1995 FY 1996 The Role of Federal Agencies in International Mr. Blaine K. Tsugawa, OFCM

Aviation Meteorology

1994 FY 1995 Data Continuity in the Climatological Record Dr. Nathaniel B. Guttman, NCDC

Mr. Andrew H. Horvitz, NWS

Mr. Arthur L. Booth, NOAA-EOSDIS

1993 FY 1994 Training and Professional Development in the Mr. Eli Jacks, NWS

Modernized Weather Services Mr. LeRoy Spayd, NWS

1992 FY 1993 Mesoscale Meteorology Mr. Floyd F. Hauth, OFCM

1991 FY 1992 Some Recent Developments in Lightning Dr. Donald R. MacGorman, NOAA

Mapping Systems Dr. Frederick R. Mosher, NOAA

Ms. Jan S. Lewis, NOAA

1990 FY 1991 The Next Generation Weather Radar - Mr. E. Don Sarreals, NEXRAD JSPO 

A System for Locating and Tracking 

Severe Weather

1989 FY 1990 Strategic Plan for the Modernization and Verbatim reproduction of a plan

Associated Restructuring of the required by Congress and submitted

National Weather Service by DOC and OMB

1988 FY 1989 Supercomputers for Meteorological Services (Source or author unknown)

and Supporting Research
APPENDIX D

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

APPENDIX D 227

3D-VAR Three Dimensional VARiational (DOD)

4DWX Four Dimensional Weather (DOD)

AA Active Army

AAO Amarillo Area Office (DOE)

AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (FHWA)

AAU Alaskan Aviation Unit (NOAA/NCEP)

ABCS Army Battle Command System (DOD)

ABFM Airborne Field Mill (NASA)

ABL Airborne Laser (DOD)

ABLE Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment (DOE)

AC Active Component (DOD)

AC&A Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosols (DOE)

ACARS ARINC Communication Addressing and Reporting System

ACD Atmospheric Chemistry Division (DOE)

ACE Aviation Combat Element (DOD)

ACP Atmospheric Chemistry Program (DOE)

ACSG Atmospheric and Climate Sciences Group (DOE)

ADAPT Atmospheric Data Assimilation and Parameterization Tool (DOE)

ADAS AWOS/ASOS Data Acquisition System (FAA)

ADEOS Advanced Earth Observing System (NASA)

AEC Atomic Energy Commission (DOE)

AEP Atmospheric Emergency Preparedness (DOE)

AESS Allied Environmental Support System (DOD)

AF Air Force

AFB Air Force Base 

AFCCC Air Force Combat Climatology Center

AFCWC Air Force Global Combat Weather Center 

AFFSA Air Force Flight Standards Agency

AFJI Air Force Joint Instruction

AFR Air Force Reserve

AFRL Air Force Research Laboratory

AFSOC Air Force Special Operations Command

AFTAC Air Force Technical Applications Center

AFW Air Force Weather

AFWA Air Force Weather Agency

AFWIN Air Force Weather Information Network

AFWWS Air Force Weather Weapon System

AGFS Aviation Gridded Forecast System (FAA)

AGRIMET A conjunction of the words "agricultural" and "meteorology", is a satellite-based network of 

automated agricultural weather stations operated and maintained by the U.S. Bureau of 

Reclamation (DOI)

AHPS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Services (NOAA/NWS)

AI Aircraft Icing (NASA)

AIP Airport Improvement Program (FAA)

AIRMAP Atmospheric Investigation Regional Modeling, Analysis, and Prediction (NOAA/OAR)

AIRMoN Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network (NOAA/OAR)

AIRS Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (NASA)

AL Aeronomy Laboratory (NOAA/OAR)

ALDARS Automated Lightning Detection and Reporting System (FAA)

AMC Army Material Command 

AMDAR Automatic Meteorological Data and Reporting

AMIS Automated Meteorological Information System (DOD)

AMPS Automated Meteorological Profiling System (NASA)
228 APPENDIX D

AMOS Automated Meteorological Observing System (DOD)

AMSU Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit

AMU Applied Meteorology Unit (NASA)

ANG Air National Guard (DOD)

ANL Argonne National Laboratory (DOE)

AOC Aircraft Operations Center (NOAA)

AOML Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (NOAA/ERL)

AOR Area of Responsibility (DOD)

AOT Aerosol Optical Thickness (NOAA/NESDIS)

APT Automatic Picture Transmission (NOAA/NESDIS)

AQG Air Quality Group (DOE)

AR Army Regulation

ARAC Atmospheric Release Advisory Capability (DOE)

ARCS Atmospheric Radiation CART Sites (NOAA/OAR)

ARG Accident Response Group (DOE)

ARGO Global Array of Profiling Floats (NOAA/OAR)

ARGOS French Satellite Data Collection System 

ARINC Aeronautical Radio Incorporated

ARL Army Research Laboratory 

Air Resources Laboratory (NOAA and DOE)

ARM Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring (DOE)

ARNG Army National Guard

ARO Army Research Office

ARS Agricultural Research Service (USDA)

Air Traffic System Requirements Service (FAA)

Atmospheric Research Section (DOE)

ARSPACE Army Space Command

ARSR Air Route Surveillance Radar (FAA)

ARSST Army Space Support Team

ARTCC Air Route Traffic Control Center (FAA)

ARTYMET Artillery Meteorological (DOD)

ARW Aviation Weather Directorate (FAA)

ASD Atmospheric Sciences Division (DOE)

ASDAR Aircraft to Satellite Data Relay

ASOG Air Support Operations Group (DOD)

ASOS Automated Surface Observing System

Air Support Operations Squadron (DOD)

ASP Atmospheric Science Program (DOE)

ASR Airport Surveillance Radar (FAA)

ATC Air Traffic Control (FAA)

ATCCS Army Tactical Command and Control System

ATDD Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division (NOAA/ARL) 

ATEC Army Test and Evaluation Command

ATG Atmospheric Technologies Group (DOE)

ATLAS Autonomous Temperature Line Acquisition System (NOAA/OAR)

ATOS Appalachian Tropospheric Ozone Study (NOAA/AOC)

ATWIS Advanced Transportation Weather Information System (FHWA)

AVHRR Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (NOAA)

AVO Alaskan Volcano Observatory (DOI/USGS)

AVP Advanced Vehicle Technologies Program (FTA)

AWARDS Agricultural Water Resources Decision Support (DOI/BUREC)

AWC Aviation Weather Center (NOAA/NCEP)

AWIPS Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (NOAA)

AWN Automated Weather Network (DOD)

AWOS Automated Weather Observing System (FAA)

AWR Aviation Weather Research (FAA)

AWSS Aviation Weather Sensor System (FAA)

AWTT Aviation Weather Technology Transfer (FAA)
APPENDIX D 229

BASC Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate

BCTP Battle Command Training Program (DOD)

BE Battlefield Environment (DOD)

BER Biological and Environmental Research (DOE)

BFA Battlefield Functional Areas (DOD)

BIO Basis for Interim Operations (DOE)

BLM Bureau of Land Management (DOI)

BNL Brookhaven National Laboratory (DOE)

BUFR Binary Universal Form for the Representation of Meteorological Data

BUREC Bureau of Reclamation (DOI)

C2 Command and Control (DOD)

C4I Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (DOD)

CAAM Computer Assisted Artillery Meteorology (DOD)

CAC Combined Arms Center (DOD)

CALJET California Land-falling Jets Experiment (NOAA/OAR)

CAMEX Convective and Moisture Experiment (NASA)

CAP Civil Air Patrol

CAP88-PC Clean Air Act Assessment Package-1988 - Personal Computer (DOE)

CAPARS Computer-Assisted Protective Action Recommendation System (DOE)

CARDS Comprehensive Aerological Reference Data Set (NOAA/NCDC)

CARS Condition Acquisition and Reporting System (FHWA)

CART Clouds and Radiation Testbed (DOE)

CASPER Computer Aided System For Planning Efficient Routes (FHWA)

CAST Commercial Aviation Safety Team (FAA)

CAWIS Committee for Automated Weather Information Systems (OFCM)

CBIRF Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (DOD)

CBNP Chemical Biological Non-Proliferation Program (DOE)

Chemical Biological National Security Program (DOE)

CBOFS Chesapeake Bay Oceanographic Forecasting System (NOAA/NOS)

CBRNE Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, or High-Yield Explosive (DOD)

CCCM Climate and Carbon Cycle Modeling (DOE)

CCM3 Community Climate Model-3 used at LANL (DOE)

CCMC Community Coordinated Modeling Center (DOD)

CCMS Committee on the Challenge of Modern Society (EPA)

CDA Command and Data Acquisition 

CDFS Cloud Depiction and Forecast System (DOD)

CDPHE Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (DOE)

CECOM Communications and Electronics Command (DOD)

CEMSCS Central Environmental Satellite Computer System (NOAA/NESDIS)

CENR Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

CEOS Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (NOAA/NESDIS)

CERES Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (NASA)

CFIT Controlled Flight Into Terrain (NASA)

CFR Code of Federal Regulations (DOE)

CGSC Command and General Staff College (DOD)

CHAMMP Computer Hardware Advanced Mathematics and Model Physics (DOE)

CIASTA Cooperative Institute for Atmospheric Studies and Terrestrial Applications (NOAA/OAR)

CIEC Sea Ice Code at LANL (DOE)

CIDE Communications Interfaces and Data Exchange (OFCM)

CIOS Committee for Integrated Observing Systems (OFCM)

CIRES Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences 

CIWS Corridor Integrated Weather System (FAA)

CLASS Comprehensive Large Array-Data Stewardship System (NOAA/NESDIS)

C-MAN Coastal-Marine Automated Network

CMAQ Community Multi-scale Air Quality (EPA)

CMDL Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (NOAA/OAR)
230 APPENDIX D

CME Coronal Mass Ejection

CMFC Coordinating METOC Forecast Center (DOD)

COADS Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (NOAA/NCDC) 

COAMPS Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (DOD)

COARE Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment

COE Corps of Engineers (DOD)

COMET Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training

CONUS Continental United States (DOD)

CONUSA Continental United States Armies (DOD)

COPC Committee for Operational Processing Centers (OFCM)

COOP Cooperative Observer Program (NOAA/NWS)

CORMS Continuous Real-time Monitoring System (NOAA/NOS)

COSMIC Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (DOD)

COTS Commercial Off-the-Shelf

CPC Climate Prediction Center (NOAA/NCEP)

CPHC Central Pacific Hurricane Center (NOAA/NCEP)

CRADA Cooperative Research and Development Agreement

CRN Climate Reference Network (NOAA)

CRREL Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (DOD)

CS Climate Services 

CSD Climate Services Division (NOAA/NWS)

CSEPP Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (DOE)

CSRA Central Savannah River Area (DOE)

CSREES Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (USDA)

CSW Committee for Space Weather (OFCM)

CTA Common Table of Allowances (DOD)

CTBT Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (DOE)

CWF Combat Weather Flight (DOD)

CWS Combat Weather Squadron (DOD)

CWSU Center Weather Service Unit (FAA)

CWT Combat Weather Team (DOD)

CXD Combined X-ray Dosimeter (DOE)

CY Calendar Year

DAC Data Assembly Center (NOAA/OAR)

DAMPS Distributed Atmospheric Modeling Prediction System (DOD)

DAT Department of Advanced Technology (DOE)

DCO Data Collection Office (NOAA/NWS)

DCP Data Collection Package

Data Collection Platform (DOI)

DCS Data Collection System (NOAA/NESDIS)

DEPSCoR Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DOD)

DGPS Differential Global Positioning System (USGS)

DHS Department of Homeland Security 

DIS Decision and Information Sciences (DOE)

DISS Digital Ionospheric Sounding System (DOD)

DMCC DOE Meteorological Coordinating Council (DOE)

DMS Dynamic Message Sign (FHWA)

DMSO Defense Modeling and Simulation Office (DOD)

DMSP Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DOD)

DNT Dinitrotoluene (DOE)

DOC Department of Commerce 

DOD Department of Defense 

DOE Department of Energy 

DOI Department of the Interior 

DOMSAT Domestic Communications Satellite (DOI)

DOS Department of State 
APPENDIX D 231

DOT Department of Transportation

DRA Desert Rock Meteorological Observatory at NTS (DOE)

DREC Delta Research Extension Center (USDA)

DRGS Direct Readout Ground Stations (DOI)

DRI Desert Research Institute (DOE)

DRWP Doppler Radar Wind Profiler (NASA)

DTC Developmental Test Command (DOD)

DTED Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DOD)

DTSS Digital Topographic Support System (DOD)

DUAT Direct User Access Terminal (FAA)

DURIP Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DOD)

EAC Echelon Above Corps (DOD)

EAD Environmental Assessment Division (DOE)

EBID Environmental Biology and Instrumentation Division (DOE)

ECDIS Electronic Chart Display Information System (NOAA/NOS)

ECMWF European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting

EDAS Eta Data Assimilation System (NOAA/NESDIS)

EDIS Environmental Data and Information Service (NOAA)

EERE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DOE)

ELV Expendable Launch Vehicle (NASA)

EM Office of Environmental Management (DOE)

EMC Environmental Modeling Center (NOAA/NCEP)

European Modeling Center (NOAA/NCEP)

EMP Environmental Meteorology Program (DOE)

EMS Environmental Monitoring Section (DOE)

ENSO El Niño-Southern Oscillation

EO Electro-optical

Earth Observation (NASA)

EOC Emergency Operations Center

EOS Earth Observing System (NASA)

EOSDIS EOS Data and Information System (NASA)

EPA Environmental Protection Agency 

EPD Environmental Protection Department (DOE)

EPIC Equatorial Pacific Investigation of Climate (NOAA/AOC)

E-PIREPS Electronic Pilot Reports (FAA)

EP/RD Environmental Protection/Restoration Department (DOE)

EPZ Emergency Planning Zone (DOE) 

ER Eastern Range (NASA)

Environmental Research (DOE)

ERBS Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (NASA)

ERC Extended Research Checkout

ERDA Energy Research and Development Administration (DOE)

ERDAS Eastern Range Dispersion Assessment System (NASA)

ERDC Engineering Research and Development Center (DOD)

ERL Environmental Research Laboratories (NOAA)

ESD/IPC Environmental Satellite Distribution/Interactive Processing Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

ESE Earth Science Enterprise (NASA)

ESP Energy Spectrometer for Particles (DOE)

Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (NWS)

ESS Environmental Sensor Station (FHWA)

ESSP Earth System Science Pathfinders (NASA)

ETIS Evacuation Traffic Information System (FHWA)

ETL Environmental Technology Laboratory (NOAA/OAR)

ETOS East Tennessee Ozone Study (NOAA/OAR)

ETTP East Tennessee Technology Park (DOE)

ET Toolbox Evapotranspiration Toolbox (DOI)
232 APPENDIX D

EUMETSAT European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites

EUSA Eighth U.S. Army

EUV Extreme Ultraviolet

FAA Federal Aviation Administration

FALOP Forward Area Limited Observing Program (DOD)

FAS Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA)

FBA Fire Behavior Analysts (DOI)

FCCC Framework Convention on Climate Change (DOS)

FCMSSR Federal Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM)

FCS Future Combat System (DOD)

FDD First Digitized Division (DOD)

FDIC Force Development and Integration Center (DOD)

FEM3MP LLNL finite element model (DOE)

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency 

FHWA Federal Highway Administration

FIRETEC Fire Code at LANL (DOE)

FIRST FAA Icing Remote Sensor Testbed (NOAA/OAR)

FIS Flight Information System (FAA)

FLENUMMETOCCEN Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, Monterey, California

FMF Fleet Marine Force

FMH Federal Meteorological Handbook (OFCM)

FNMOC Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center (DOD)

FOA Field Operating Agency (DOD)

FORSCOM U.S. Army Forces Command

FOV Field of vision

FRA Federal Railroad Administration

FRD Field Research Division (NOAA/ARL)

FRERP Federal Radiological Emergency Response Plan (DOE)

FRMAC Federal Radiological Monitoring and Assessment Center (DOE)

FRWS Fire RAWS (DOI)

FS-21 Forecasting System 21st Century (DOD)

FS Forest Service (USDA)

FSA Farm Services Agency (USDA)

FSL Forecast Systems Laboratory (NOAA/OAR)

FSR Forest Service Research (USDA)

FTA Federal Transit Administration

FTE Full-time Equivalent

FTP File Transfer Protocol

FU Forecast Unit

FWS Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI)

FY Fiscal year 

G-IV Gulfstream IV (NOAA)

GAA GOES Active Archive (NOAA/NESDIS)

GAC Global Area Coverage

GACC Geographic Areas Coordination Center (DOI)

GACP Global Aerosol Climatology Project (NASA)

GAPP GEWEX Applications Prediction Program (DOI/BUREC)

GAO General Accounting Office

GCCR Global Climate Change Research (DOE)

GCCS Global Command and Control System (DOD)

GCIP GEWEX Continental-scale International Project (DOI)

GCM Global Climate Models (DOE)

GCOS Global Climate Observing System (WWP)

GCPS Global Climate Perspectives System

GCRP Global Change Research Program
APPENDIX D 233

GDPS Global Data Processing System (WWP)

GEM Generation of weather Elements for Multiple (USDA)

GEOSAR Geostationary Earth Orbit Search and Rescue (NOAA/NESDIS)

GEWEX Global Energy and Water-Balance Experiment

GFDL Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (NOAA/ERL)

GHCN Global Historical Climatology Network

G-IPPA Government-Industry Project Performance Agreement (FAA)

GIN Geomagnetic Information Nodes (DOI)

GIS Geographic Information System

GLD Global Lagrangian Drifters (NOAA/OAR)

GLONASS Global Navigation Satellite System (NOAA/NESDIS)

GMS Geostationary Meteorological Satellite-Japan (WWP)

GMSRA GOES Multi-Spectral Rainfall Algorithms (NOAA/NESDIS)

GOES Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (NOAA)

GOOS Global Ocean Observing System

GOS Global Observing System (WWP)

GOSSP Global Observing Systems Space Panel (NOAA/NESDIS)

GPCP Global Precipitation Climatology Program

GPS Global Positioning System

GPS/MET GPS for Meteorology

GRIB Gridded Binary (FM 92-X Ext.)

GRIDS Ground-based Remote Icing Detection System (NOAA/OAR)

GSFC Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA)

GSN GCOS Surface Network (WWP)

GTS Global Telecommunications System (WWP)

GTSPP Global Temperature-Salinity Profile Project

GTWAPS Global Theater Weather Analysis and Prediction System (DOD)

GUAN GCOS Upper Air Network (WWP)

HaL Hurricanes at Landfall (NOAA/OAR)

HAR Highway Advisory Radio (FHWA)

HARM Hazardous Atmospheric Release Model (NOAA/OAR)

HAZMET Hazardous Material (FHWA)

HCRS Highway Closure and Restriction System (FHWA)

HDB Hydrologic DataBase (DOI)

HELSTF High Energy Laser System Test Facility (DOD)

HF High Frequency 

HFRB High Frequency Regional Broadcast 

HIGRAD Transport and Dispersion Model at LANL (DOE)

HIRS/3 High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (NOAA/NESDIS)

HMI Hydrologic Modeling Inventory (DOI)

HMSC Hazardous Materials Spill Center (DOE)

HMMWV High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle (DOD)

HPC Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (NOAA/NCEP)

HPCC High Performance Computing and Communications

HRAP Hydrologic Rainfall Analysis Project (DOI)

HRD Hurricane Research Division (NOAA/ERL)

HRPT High Resolution Picture Transmission (NOAA/NESDIS)

HSA Hydrologic Service Area (NOAA/NWS)

HSM Heat Stress Monitor (DOD)

HYDROMET A network of automated hydrologic and meteorologic monitoring stations located throughout the 

Pacific Northwest (DOI)

HYSPLIT Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (NOAA/OAR)

HUD Head-up display (NASA)

IAMS Initial Attack Management System (DOI)

IAS International Airspace System (NOAA/NWS)
234 APPENDIX D

IAV Interim Armored Vehicle (DOD)

IBCT Interim Brigade Combat Teams (DOD)

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization

ICMSSR Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services and Supporting Research (OFCM)

ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions

IDCS International Data Collection System (WWP) 

IEW Intelligence and Electronic Warfare (DOD)

IFFA Interactive Flash Flood Analyzer (NOAA/NESDIS)

IGBP International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (WWP)

IHC Interdepartmental Hurricane Conference (OFCM)

IIP International Ice Patrol (USCG)

IMDES Interdepartmental Meteorological Data Exchange System 

IMETS Integrated Meteorological System (DOD)

Incident Meteorologists (NOAA/NWS)

INEEL Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (DOE)

INSAT India's National Satellite (WWP)

IPB Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (DOD)

IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (WWP/DOS)

IPEX Intermountain Precipitation Experiment (NOAA/OAR)

IPO Integrated Program Office

IR Infrared

IRTSS Infrared Target Scene Simulation Software (DOD)

ISCCP International Satellite Cloud Climatology Program (NOAA/NESDIS)

ISES International Space Environment Service (NOAA/OAR)

ISIS Integrated Solar Irradiance Study (NOAA/OAR)

ISMS Integrated Safety Management System (DOE)

ISTEA Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (FHWA)

ITCT Intercontinental Transport and Chemical Transformation (NOAA/OAR)

ITCZ Inter-tropical convergence zone

ITS Intelligent Transportation System (FHWA)

ITS-JPO ITS Joint Program Office (FHWA)

IT-RD Information Technology Research and Development (EPA)

ITWS Integrated Terminal Weather System (FAA)

IWEDA Integrated Weather Effects Decision Aid (DOD)

IWRS Improved Weather Reconnaissance System (OFCM)

IWRPC Improved Weather Reconnaissance System Program Council (OFCM)

JAAWIN Joint Air Force-Army Weather Information Network (DOD)

JAG Joint Action Group

JASL Joint Archive for Sea Level

JAWF Joint Agricultural Weather Facility (USDA)

JCS Joint Chiefs of Staff (DOD)

JCSDA Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (NOAA/NCEP)

JEES Joint Environmental Exploitation Segment (DOD)

JGOFS Joint Global Ocean Flux Study

JHT Joint Hurricane Testbed (NOAA/OAR)

JMFU Joint METOC Forecasting Unit (DOD)

JMIB Joint METOC Interoperability Board (DOD)

JMV Joint METOC Viewer (DOD)

JPL Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA)

JSAT Joint Safety Analysis Team (FAA)

JSIT Joint Safety Implementation Team (FAA)

JSC Johnson Space Center (NASA)

JSCP Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (DOD)

JTWC Joint Typhoon Warning Center (AF/Navy)

JWIS Joint Weather Impacts System (DOD)
APPENDIX D 235

KLC Kodiak Launch Center (NASA)

KM Kilometer

KSC Kennedy Space Center (NASA)

KVERT Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (DOI)

LAAS Local Area Augmentation System (FAA)

LAC Local Area Coverage

LAN Local Area Network

LANL Los Alamos National Laboratory (DOE)

LAPS Local Analysis and Prediction System (NOAA/FSL)

LDAR Lightning Detection and Ranging

LDCM Landsat Data Continuity Mission (NASA)

LDIS Local Data Integration System (NASA)

LLCC Lightning Launch Commit Criteria (NASA)

LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (DOE)

LLWAS Low Level Wind Shear Alert System (FAA)

LLWAS-RS LLWAS-Relocation/Sustainment (FAA)

LODI Transport and Dispersion Model at LLNL (DOE)

LRGS Local Readout Ground Stations (DOI)

LSM Land Surface Model (DOD)

LWS Living With A Star (NASA)

MACOM Major Army Command

MAGTF Marine Air Ground Task Force

MAJCOM Major Command (DOD)

MAW Marine Aircraft Wing

MB Millibars

MC Meteorological Codes

MCAF Marine Corps Air Facilities

MCAS Marine Corps Air Station

MCCDC Marine Corps Combat Development Command (DOD)

MCD Mesoscale Discussions (NOAA/NWS)

MCO Maintenance and Construction Operations (FHWA)

MCS Mesoscale Convective System (NOAA/OAR)

MCSP Meteorological and Climate Services Project 

MCWP Marine Corps Warfighting Publication (DOD)

MDIFF Transport and Dispersion Code at INEEL (DOE)

MDCRS Meteorological Data Communications and Reporting System (WWP)

MDSS Maintenance Decision Support System (FHWA)

MeaPRS MCS Electrification and Polarimetric Radar Study (NOAA/OAR)

MEPED Medium Energy Proton and Electron Detector (NOAA/NESDIS)

MES Marine Environmental Services (OFCM)

MET Mobile Environmental Teams (DOD)

Meteorological Teams (DOD)

METMF Meteorological Mobile Facility (DOD)

METOC Meteorological and Oceanographic (DOD)

MHS Microwave Humidity Sounder (NOAA/NESDIS)

MHz Megahertz

MIMS Multimedia Integrated Modeling System (EPA)

MM5 Mesoscale Meteorological Model-Version 5.0 (DOD)

MME Mobile Meteorological Equipment (OFCM)

MMS Meteorological Measuring System (DOD)

Mineral Management Service (DOI)

Modular Modeling System (DOI)

MMS-P Meteorological Measuring System-Profiler (DOD)

MOA Memorandum of Agreement

MOBY Marine Optical Buoy (NOAA/NESDIS)
236 APPENDIX D

MOCE Marine Optical Characterization Experiment (NOAA/NESDIS)

MODIS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (NASA)

MOS Model Output Statistics 

MPA Magnetospheric Plasma Analyzer (DOE)

MPC Marine Prediction Center (NOAA/NCEP)

MS Monitoring the Stratosphere (OFCM)

MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA)

MSL Mean sea level

MSS Meteorological Sounding System (NASA)

MST Meteorological Support Teams (DOD)

MSU Microwave Sounding Unit (NOAA/NESDIS)

MTN Main Telecommunications Network (WWP)

MTOE Modified Table of Organization and Equipment (DOD)

MTPE Mission to Planet Earth (NASA)

MWSS Marine Wing Support Squadron

N511 National 511-Traveler Information Service (FHWA)

NADIN National Airspace Data Interchange Network (FAA)

NAF Numbered Air Force

NAMIS NATO Automated Meteorological Information System (DOD)

NAP Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (USDA)

NAPP National Aerial Photography Program (USDA)

NAOS North American Atmospheric Observing System (NOAA)

NARAC National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (DOE)

NARSTO North American Research Strategy for Tropospheric Ozone (EPA)

NAS National Airspace System (FAA)

National Academy of Sciences

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NASDA National Space Development Agency of Japan 

NASS National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA)

NATCOM National Communications Center (FAA)

NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization (DOD, EPA)

NAVICECEN Naval Ice Center

NAVOCEANO Naval Oceanographic Office 

NAVLANTMETOCCEN Naval Atlantic Meteorology and Oceanography Center, Norfolk, Virginia

NAVMETOCCOM Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command

NAVPACMETOCCEN Naval Pacific Meteorology and Oceanography Center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

NAWPC National Aviation Weather Program Council (OFCM)

NBC Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (DOD)

NC NOAA Corps 

NCA National Command Authority (DOD)

NCAR National Center for Atmospheric Research 

NCDC National Climatic Data Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

NCEP National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NOAA/NWS)

NCO NCEP Central Operations (NOAA/NCEP)

Non-commissioned officer (DOD)

NDBC National Data Buoy Center (NOAA/NWS)

NDI Non-developmental item

NDOP National Digital Orthoquad Program (USDA)

NDRI Natural Disaster Reduction Initiative (NOAA)

NDVI Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NOAA/NESDIS)

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act 

NESDIS National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NOAA)

NESHAP National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (DOE)

NESS National Environmental Satellite Service (NOAA)

NEST Nuclear Emergency Search Team (DOE)

NEXRAD Next Generation Weather Radar (WSR-88D)

NFIP National Flood Insurance Program (FEMA)
APPENDIX D 237

NFDRS National Fire Danger Rating System (DOI/BLM)

NGDC National Geophysical Data Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

NGIC National Geomagnetic Information Center (DOI)

NHC National Hurricane Center (NOAA/NCEP)

NHOP National Hurricane Operations Plan (OFCM)

NIC National Ice Center (DOT/USCG)

NIFC National Interagency Fire Center (DOI)

NIPRNET Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Network (DOD)

NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology (DOC)

NITES Navy Integrated Tactical Environmental System

NLDN National Lightning Detection Network (FAA)

NMC National Meteorological Center(s) (WWP)

NMOC Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command

NMP New Millennium Program (NASA)

NMS National Military Strategy (DOD)

NMTN National Meteorological Telecommunications Network (WWP)

NNDC NOAA National Data Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

NNSA National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE)

NNSA/NSO National Nuclear Security Administration/Nevada Site Office (DOE)

NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

NODC National Oceanographic Data Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

NODDS Navy Oceanographic Data Distribution System

NOGAPS Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System

NOS National Ocean Service (NOAA) 

NOTAMS Notices to Airmen (FAA)

NOWS NVG Operations Weather Software (DOD)

NPDES National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (DOE)

NPN NOAA Profiler Network (NOAA/OAR)

NPOESS National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System

NPP NPOESS Preparatory Program (NASA)

NPS National Park Service (DOI)

NRC Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA)

NRI National Research Initiative (USDA)

NRL Naval Research Laboratory

NRVR New Generation Runway Visual Range (FAA)

NSF National Science Foundation 

NSIDC National Snow and Ice Data Center (NOAA)

NSO Nevada Site Office (DOE)

NSS National Security Strategy (DOD)

NSSL National Severe Storms Laboratory (NOAA)

NSTC National Science and Technology Council

NSTEP National Strategic Training and Education Plan (NOAA/NWS)

NSWP National Space Weather Program (OFCM)

NTCIP National Transportation Communications for ITS Protocol (FHWA)

N-TFS New Tactical Forecast System (DOD)

NTIS National Technical Information Service

NTS Nevada Test Site (DOE)

NTSB National Transportation Safety Board 

NV Nevada Operations Office (DOE)

NVG Night vision goggles (DOD)

NWA National Wilderness Area (DOI)

NWCC National Water & Climate Center (USDA)

NWCG National Wildfire Coordinating Group (USDA)

NWIS National Water Information System (DOI)

NWLON National Water-Level Observation Network (NOAA/NOS)

NWP Numerical Weather Prediction
238 APPENDIX D

NWS National Weather Service

NWSRFS National Weather Service River Forecast Service (NOAA/NWS)

NWSTC National Weather Service Training Center (NOAA/NWS)

O&C Oregon and California Railroad Land Grants (DOI)

OAR Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (NOAA)

OASIS Operational and Supportability Implementation System (FAA)

OCAP Operating Consortium of ASDAR Participants (WWP)

OCE Office of the Chief Economist (USDA)

OCWWS Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services (NOAA/NWS)

OFCM Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology 

OGP Office of Global Programs (NOAA)

OMB Office of Management and Budget

OMEGA Operational Medicine Environmental Grid Application (DOD)

ONR Office of Naval Research

OPAREA Fleet Operational Area (DOD)

OPARS Optimum Path Aircraft Routing System (DOD)

OPS-II Operational Weather Squadron Production System, Phase II

OR&F Operations, Research, and Facilities (NOAA/NWS)

ORA Office of Research and Applications (NOAA/NESDIS)

ORAU Oak Ridge Associated Universities (DOE)

ORD Operational Requirements Documents (DOD)

ORISE Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (DOE)

ORPG Open Systems Radar Product Generator (NOAA/OAR)

ORR Oak Ridge Reservation (DOE)

ORNL Oak Ridge National Laboratory (DOE)

OROO Oak Ridge Operations Office (DOE)

OS-21 Observing System 21st Century (DOD)

OSC On-Scene Commander (DOE)

OSDPD Office of Satellite Data Processing and Distribution (NOAA/NESDIS)

OSEI Operational Significant Event Imagery (NOAA/NESDIS)

OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Admistration 

OSO Office of Satellite Operations (NOAA/NESDIS)

OSTEP Ocean Systems Test and Evaluation Program (NOAA/NOS)

OSTP Office of Science and Technology Policy

OTH Over the horizon (NOAA/OAR)

OTW Owning the Weather (DOD)

OTSR Optimum Track Ship Routing (DOD)

OWS Operational Weather Squadron (DOD)

OWSE Operational World Weather Watch Systems Evaluation (WWP)

PAA Precipitation Accumulation Algorithm (DOI)

PAC Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction (NOAA/NWS)

PACS Polar Acquisition and Control Subsystem (NOAA/NESDIS)

PASOS Portable Automated Surface Observing System (DOD)

PATMOS Pathfinder Atmosphere (NOAA/NESDIS)

PBL Planetary Boundary Layer (DOE)

PC Program Council (OFCM)

Personal Computer (DOE)

PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyl 

PCMDI Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison (DOE)

PD Project Director (DOD)

PECAD Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division (USDA)

PIBAL Pilot Balloon

PIPS Polar Ice Prediction System (NOAA/NESDIS)

PIRATA Pilot Research Moored Array in the Tropical Atlantic (NOAA/OAR)

PIREP Pilot Report
APPENDIX D 239

PMC Project Management Coordinator (DOE)

PMEL Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (NOAA/ERL)

PNNL Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (DOE)

PNT Position, Navigation, and Timing (USCG)

POES Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (NOAA)

POP Parallel Ocean Program (DOE)

POPS Primary Oceanographic Prediction System (DOD)

PORTS Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (NOAA/NOS)

ppm Part per Million (DOE)

PSDA Post-Storm Data Acquisition (OFCM)

PSR Polarimetric Scanning Radiometer (NOAA/OAR)

PUP Principal User Processor

QPF Quantitative Precipitation Forecast (NOAA/NCEP)

R&A Research and Analysis

R&D Research and Development 

RAFC Regional Area Forecast Center (WWP)

RAMS Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (DOE)

RAMSDIS RAMM Branch Advanced Meteorological Satellite Demonstration and

Interpretation System (NOAA/NESDIS)

RAP Radiological Assistance Program (DOE)

Remedial Action Plan (DOE)

RARC Regional Atmospheric Response Center (DOE)

RASS Radio Acoustic Sounding System (NOAA/OAR and DOE)

RATS Radio Automatic Theodolite System (NASA)

RAWS Remote Automatic Weather Station (USDA/DOI)

RC Reserve Component (DOD)

RCC Regional Climate Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

RCTM Road Condition and Treatment Module (FHWA)

RDA Radar Data Acquisition

RDEC Research Development and Engineering Center (DOD)

RDTE Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (DOD)

REIP Reengineered Enterprise Infrastructure Program (DOD)

RFETS Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (DOE)

RFOO Rocky Flats Operations Office (DOE)

RFC River Forecast Center (NOAA/NWS)

RMTN Regional Meteorological Telecommunications Network (WWP)

RMWS Remote Miniature Weather Systems (DOD)

ROC Radar Operations Center (NOAA/NWS)

RPC Rapid Prototype Center (NOAA/SEC)

RSA Range Standardization and Automation (NASA)

RSAC Transport and Dispersion Code at INEEL (DOE)

RSMC Regional/Specialized Meteorological Centers (WWP)

RTH Regional Telecommunications Hub (WWP)

RUC Rapid Update Cycle (NOAA/OAR)

RVR Runway Visual Range (FAA)

RWIS Road Weather Information System (FHWA)

SAA Satellite Active Archive

Snow Accumulation Algorithm (DOI/BLM)

SAFETEA Safe, Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act of 2003 (FHWA)

SAMS Stochastic Analysis, Modeling, and Simulation (DOI)

SAP Special Access Program

SAR Synthetic Aperture Radar (NOAA/NESDIS)

SARSAT Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking

SATS Small Aircraft Transportation System (NASA)
240 APPENDIX D

SAWS Stand Alone Weather Sensor (FAA)

SBIR Small Business Innovation Research Program 

SBUV Solar Backscatter Ultra-violet Instrument (NOAA/NESDIS)

SCAN Soil Climate Analysis Network (USDA)

SCI Sensitive Compartmented Information (DOD)

SDHS Satellite Data Handling System (DOD)

SeaWiFS Sea-viewing Wide Field Scanner (NASA)

SEC Space Environmental Center (NOAA/NCEP)

Sun Earth Connection (NASA)

SEM Space Environment Monitor (NOAA)

SEMSIM Southeastern Michigan Snow and Ice Management (FHWA)

SFMR Stepped Frequency Microwave Radiometer

SGP Southern Great Plains (DOE)

SHEBA Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (DOE)

SHEP State Highway Emergency Patrol (FHWA)

SHRP Strategic Highway Research Program (FHWA)

SIGRID Sea Ice in Gridded Format (NOAA/NESDIS)

SLRS-C Spacelift Range System Contract (NASA)

SMDC Space and Missile Defense Command (DOE)

SMG Spaceflight Meteorology Group (NASA)

SNDR Subcommittee on Natural Disaster Reduction

SNL Sandia National Laboratory (DOE)

SNODEP SNOw DEPth

SNOTEL Snow Telemetry (USDA)

SOCC Satellite Operations Control Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

SODAR Sound Detection and Ranging (DOE)

SODAR/RASS Sound Detection and Ranging/Radio Acoustic Sounding System (DOE)

SOF Special Operations Forces (DOD)

SOLAS International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (NOAA/NCEP, DHS/USCG)

SOPA Synchronous Orbit Plasma Analyzer (DOE)

SORD Special Operations and Research Division (NOAA/ARL)

SPLASH Hydrologic Code at LANL (DOE)

SPAWARSYSCOM Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command

SPC Storm Prediction Center (NOAA/NCEP)

SR Savannah River (DOE)

SRS Savannah River Site (DOE)

SRTC Savannah River Technology Center (DOE)

SS&WSF Snow Survey & Water Supply Forecasting (USDA)

SSOB Special Support Operations Branch (DOD)

SSM/I Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (DOC, DOD, DOI)

SST Sea Surface Temperature

SSU Stratospheric Sounding Unit (NOAA)

STAR Weather Data Format used at Pantex (DOE)

STIWG Satellite Telemetry Interagency Working Group (OFCM)

STP Solar-Terrestrial Physics

STS Special Tactics Squadron (DOD)

STT Small Tactical Terminal (DOD)

STWDSR Surface Transportation Weather Decision Support Requirements (FHWA)

SURFRAD Surface Radiation Budget Station at NTS (DOE)

SVS Synthetic Vision System (NASA)

SWA Southwest Asia (DOD)

SWAFS Space Weather Analysis and Forecasting System (DOD)

SWE Snow Water Equivalent (DOI/BUREC)

SWO Staff Weather Officer (DOD)

Space Weather Operations (NOAA/OAR)

SWR Supplemental Wether Radar (DOD)

SXI Solar X-Ray Imager (DOD)
APPENDIX D 241

T2 Technology transfer

TACMET-MOD Tactical Meteorological Observing System Modification (DOD)

TACWX Tactical weather (DOD)

TAF Terminal Aerodrome Forecast

TAL Transatlantic Abort Landing (NASA)

TAO Tropical Atmosphere Ocean

TAWS Target Acquisition Weather Software (DOD)

TCP Transformation Campaign Plan (DOD)

TDA Tactical Decision Aid (DOD)

TDWR Terminal Doppler Weather Radar (FAA)

TEA-21 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (FHWA)

TEC Topographic Engineering Center (DOD)

Total Electron Content (DOE)

TED Total Energy Detector (NOAA/NESDIS)

TEDS Tactical Environmental Data Server (DOD)

TESS Tactical Environmental Support System (DOD)

TFU Theater Forecast Unit (DOD)

TIMEX Thunderstorm Initiation Mobile Experiment (NOAA/OAR)

TIROS Television Infrared Observation Satellite (NOAA/NESDIS)

TOC Tactical Operations Center (DOD)

TOE Table of Organization and Equipment (DOD)

TOGA Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere 

TOVS TIROS-N Operational Vertical Sounder (NOAA/NESDIS)

TNT Trinitrotoluene (DOE)

TPC Tropical Prediction Center (NOAA/NCEP)

TPW Total Precipitable Water (NOAA/NESDIS)

TRACON Terminal Radar Approach Control (FAA)

TRADOC Training and Doctrine Command (DOD)

TRB Transportation Research Board (FHWA)

TRITON Triangle Trans-Ocean buoy Network (NOAA/OAR)

TRMM Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (NASA)

TRU Transuric (DOE)

TUAN Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (DOD)

TWC The Weather Channel 

TWIP Terminal Weather Information for Pilots (FAA)

TWP Tropical Western Pacific (DOE)

TWR Tactical Weather Radar (DOD)

UAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (DOD)

UC University of Chicago or California (DOE)

UCAN Unified Climate Access Network (USDA)

UCAR University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

UHF Ultra High Frequency 

UN United Nations 

UNEP United Nations Environment Program 

UNLV University of Nevada at Las Vegas (DOE)

UPOS University Partnering for Operational Support (DOD)

USA U.S. Army

USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

USAES U.S. Army Engineer School

USAF U.S. Air Force 

USAFE U.S. Air Forces in Europe

USAFAS U.S. Army Field Artillery School

USAIC&FH U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca

USAR U.S. Army Reserve

USARAK U.S. Army Alaska
242 APPENDIX E

USARC U.S. Army Reserve Command

USAREUR U.S. Army Europe

USARHAW U.S. Army Hawaii

USARIEM U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

USARJ U.S. Army Japan

USARPAC U.S. Army Pacific

USASMDC U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

USASOC U.S. Army Special Operations Command

USCENTCOM U.S. Central Command

USCG U.S. Coast Guard 

USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture

USGCRP U.S. Global Change Research Program

USFS U.S. Forest Service 

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

USHCN U.S. Historical Climatology Network

USIABP U.S. Interagency Arctic Buoy Program (NOAA/NESDIS)

USMC U.S. Marine Corps

USMCC U.S. SARSAT Mission Control Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

USN U.S. Navy

USWRP U.S. Weather Research Program

UT University of Tennessee

UTC Universal Time Coordinated (Zulu)

UV Ultra-violet

VA Volcanic Ash 

VAAC Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (NOAA/NESDIS)

VAS VISSR Atmospheric Sounder 

VCP Voluntary Cooperation Program (WWP)

VIN Vegetative Index Number (USDA)

VIRS Visible and Infrared Scanner (NASA)

VISSR Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer 

VORTEX Verficiation of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (NOAA/OAR)

VOS Voluntary Observing Ship (WWP)

VPR Vertical Profile of Reflectivity (DOI)

VSAT Very Small Aperture Terminal (DOD)

VSL Variable Speed Limit (FHWA)

VTMX Vertical Transport and Mixing Experiment (DOE)

VTS Vessel Traffic System (NOAA/NOS)

WAAS Wide Area Augmentation System (FAA)

WAFC World Area Forecast Center (WWP)

WAFS World Area Forecast System (WWP) 

WAOB World Agricultural Outlook Board (USDA)

WARP Weather and Radar Processor (FAA)

WaRSMP Watershed and River System Management Program (DOI)

WCT Wind Chill Temperature (OFCM)

WDA Weather Data Analysis (DOD)

WEFAX Weather Facsimile (WWP)

WETM Weather Team (DOD)

WFAS Wildland Fire Assessment System (DOI)

WFMIS Wildland Fire Management Information Site (DOI)

WFO Weather Forecast Office (NOAA/NWS)

WG Working Group

WG/VA Working Group for Volcanic Ash (DOI)

WGCV Working Group on Calibration and Validation (NOAA/NESDIS)

WINCOM Weather Information Communications (NASA)

WIDA Weather Impact Decision Aids (DOD)
APPENDIX E 243

WINDS Weather Information and Display System (DOE)

WIPP Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (DOE)

WIST Weather Information for Surface Transportation

WMC World Meteorological Center(s) (WWP)

WMO World Meteorological Organization 

WMSCR Weather Message Switching Center-Replacement (FAA)

WOCE World Ocean Circulation Experiment 

WPDN Wind Profile Demonstration Network (NOAA)

WPSM Warfighter Physiological Status Monitoring (DOD)

WRD Water Resources Division (DOI/USGS)

WRF Weather Research and Forecast (DOC, DOD)

WRS Weather Reconnaissance Squadron (DOD)

WSDDM Weather Support to Deicing Decision Making (FAA)

WSP Weather Systems Processor (FAA)

WSR-88D Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (NEXRAD)

WSRC Westinghouse Savannah River Company (DOE)

WSSRAP Weldon Springs Site Remedial Action Project (DOE)

WST Weather Support Team (DOD)

WWCB Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin (USDA)

WWP World Weather Program 

WWW World Weather Watch (WMO)

World Wide Web

XOW Director of Weather (DOD)

YMP Yucca Mountain Project (DOE)